The Pact of Five
by ArthurDragonpen
Summary: Arianne Tekuto has a passion for animals. So when sadistic bullies attack pigeons, she doesn't hesitate to defend them despite being hopelessly outgunned. But then, she meets Rin Okumura and the world changes. After learning dark truths, Arianne must overcome the secrets of her heritage and delve deep into the world of Danger, Exorcists, and Demons. Follows storyline of anime.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Meeting the Devil's Son**

**Disclaimer: ArthurDragonpen does not own Blue Exorcist**

**A/N: Good afternoon, all of you wonderful people! If you are looking for my other story the Counter Mage, a Fairy Tail fanfic, I regret to inform you that you are on the wrong story. This is my newest story, The Pact of Five. Hope you enjoy it. Depending on its reception, I may choose to either continue it or not. So, let's get to it!**

* * *

I've heard of the Blue Night in passing but honestly I never really gave it a second thought. To me, it was never unnatural to live my life. It was never strange to go to school or eat dinner with the family. Those things had always been simple, routine. But, there came a day when I realized that all I knew… every fiber of my being and state of mind… were nothing but lies. The world was not as I once knew it and things began to appear. Wraiths shadowed in mystery, members of a demonic race. I didn't know it at the time but, I'd soon be saying good-bye to my life as a regular 16-year-old girl and hello to my destiny as a teenage Exorcist.

* * *

"What the hell?" Reiji Shiratori yelled after my fist collided with his face. Maybe I would have considered my options better if I had noticed earlier that I was so in over my head. But, noticing details had always been one of the things I sucked at. At least it was when I didn't care what was happening around me. But, shooting birds… Oh, no. _That's_ a problem. I'll turn a blind eye to your fashion sense but buddy; you picked the wrong day to miss with some beautiful creatures.

Of course that was the tune I was singing before I realized that not only was I outnumbered but also that these were the same types of guys who didn't care if you was a girl or not. Just as I understood that, I felt the world slide out from underneath me and I fell to the dirt. Kicked in the gut, I cried out before biting down on my lip. _Stifle the pain. Endure it. Give those remaining birds some time to get away._

Easier said than done. All three of them were taking their time with me. They pulled at my hair, kneed me in my chest and tossed me around. I took it all, knowing that there wasn't much I could do against three people.

"Had enough, bitch?" A voice whispered in my ear.

I knew that it was Shiratori who had spoken but I remained quiet, hoping they'd believe that I had passed out. They laughed, taking the bait and they began to move away. Tentatively, I opened my left eye and peered at their retreating forms. Shiratori had picked up his crossbow, turned with his back facing me and aimed. My eyes snapped open when I realized what was happening. Ignoring the pain, I got to my feet and tried to take a step forward. I failed, dropping to my knees in exhaustion.

**POW!** The sound of another bird's body caught my attention and it hit the ground. My eyes filled with tears at the sight of this one. Its neck was twisted at an irregular angle and blood pooled from its side. I couldn't take this and I quietly retched and retched throwing up everything I had eaten since lunch.

**Slam! **The sound of a fist caught my attention and I looked up, seeing a spectacle I thought I would never see. Someone was protecting the birds. He punched Shiratori, sending him and his friends flying into the nearby fence.

"Whoa! What is this guy, a demon?"

"Crap! I'm telling you, he's bad news!"

"Let's get out of here!" At these final words, Shiratori's lackeys grabbed and made their escape. Getting to my feet, I made my way to the first of my fallen brethren. Noticing its weak breaths, I pulled the arrow free from its wound and cradled it close to my breasts. Meanwhile, the boy who had rescued me earlier was looking at their retreating figures. "Who are you calling a demon? You assholes are way more demonic than me!"

"Ain't that the truth," I agreed before I could even stop myself. I had been planning on remaining under the radar. Most of the time, it worked just so long as I kept my mouth shut and minded my own business. But with my hands bloodied by the bodies of dead pigeons around me plus the fact that I wasn't the only one who care spurred me into action and I spoke. I know. Wild, right?

He turned back to face me. "I never really asked but are you all right?"

The pigeon breathed pitifully once more before laying still. I nodded, a sad smile on my lips. Laying the bird back onto the ground, I fixed him with a grateful look. "I'm feeling better now that you've sent those sadistic assholes packing. I only got involved because I couldn't stand what they were doing to these birds. But…" I was meek to admit it, "I failed to realize that I was outnumbered three to one when I tried to help. Just like me, I suppose." My sad smile grew slightly as he held a hand out to me. Gripping it, he steadily pulled me to my feet and I thanked him properly before patting myself down.

"I'm Arianne Tekuto. And you?" I questioned.

He glanced at me, a little surprised. I wondered why. Wasn't this what people did when they met other people? He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Uh… Rin. Rin Okumura."

I smiled. Turning away, I said, "I guess I'll be seeing you, then." Before I had even given him a chance to respond, I rushed away, disappearing out of sight within seconds. Racing along the streets, I didn't pause to ask directions or stop. I just knew I needed to get away. Rin Okumura. Just who are you? And why would you go through all of that trouble for an abused animal? Could it have just been because there were other kindred spirits out there just like me? I thought about it for a moment before coming to a sound conclusion: _I highly doubt it._

* * *

If I said that I lived in a library, would you find that strange? Probably. So, what if I said that I lived above the library? What, that's still strange? How? Sure, Uncle Alastair was an interesting man who didn't stray far from his work as a librarian but really? No matter what I say, you'll think it's weird that I live in a library? Well, fine. Why do I care what you think anyway?

Pushing open the double doors that were usually locked at this time of evening, I navigated the dark hallways. Reaching the spiral staircase that sat in the center of the room, I made my way up, careful not to trip over the books that rested on each step. Once I was past the danger of falling flat on my face, I needed to breach the Cave of Knowledge and hope there wouldn't be any cave-ins (which is to say, hope that I don't knock down any stacks of books in the hallway and invoke my uncle's wrath). Luckily, I was able to get away scotch-free and no casualties occurred.

Reaching the door at the end of the hallway, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a silver key. Inserting it into the lock, I twisted the doorknob and let myself into the apartment. The first thing that greeted me was the smell. Picture road kill. You know how it's left dead for days to be picked off by vultures and coyotes and whatever other thing comes along. Well, it leaves a vulgar, pungent smell that invades the nostrils and makes you gag your lungs out. Now, that you've got that image, picture the world's biggest garbage can and all of its contents placed into a pot set to boil and let it simmer. Mix 'em up. Stir.

Immediately, I pulled my shirt sleeve over my face and made my way to the kitchen where a black stew concoction was sitting in the open. Without a thought, I opened the nearest window, took the stew and threw it out. Watching as it splashed to the ground in a greenish-black mess, I was rewarded with the airing out of the room. Placing the pot in the sink, I went to the living room and went off in search of the first aid kit. Despite being relatively fine, it still hurt when Shiratori and his pals had beaten me; so much so that I needed to bandage myself up after the little encounter. I raised my shirt to look at my bruises and got to work.

About twelve minutes in, I could hear the double doors of the library open in a rushed sound and the scuffling that came up the steps only made me notice him more. When he burst into the room with a stack of books in one hand and groceries in the other, I wasn't surprised in the least.

Uncle Alastair was my father's brother and it showed. He had the same hair that fell in long, black curls down his shoulder. He had the same blue-green eyes that shone in the twilight, a beautiful world within his gaze. They even looked similar. He was tall and of a heavily muscular build. Most of the time, he wore a loose fitting dress shirt with the top buttons unbuttoned, black dress pants, and black dress shoes. Today, though to the freezing temperatures, he wore an arctic style trench coat and a red sweater and blue jeans. "Yo, how was _it_ today?"

"It" refers to my ongoing search to find stray animals and give them a home. When we started living together, we made a mutual agreement. I won't get on him about his hobbies as long as he doesn't get on me about mine. So far, it's worked. But, I'm not sure how long I can stand by and watch so many ladies come in here to meet my uncle only to be turned away because he doesn't understand… women.

Despite him looking like a model by day and supermodel by night, this man had no idea that half of the reason that women even came to the library was that he was so damn gorgeous. And maybe that's hypocritical of me, what with being his niece and all, but the man has got to realize it at some point. And sooner is better than later.

I dismissed his attention. "Nothing much happened today. Found a kitten, gave it a home, and saved a bunch of pigeons from a group of asshats. You know, the usual…" I was stretching the truth but for some reason, I didn't want to tell him about Rin. It wasn't because I was scared to or anything ridiculous like that. It just felt… wrong somehow. But, if you asked me to explain, I wouldn't know how.

Alastair set down the groceries, his back to me. But I could tell his back had stiffened ever so slightly from the last thing I had said. "Saved a bunch of pigeons, huh? From a bunch of assholes? Nice work. They can live to be shot down another day."

Something in his voice nagged at me and the nervous feeling in my stomach evaporated to be replaced by anger. I scowled. "If I hadn't done something, no one would have." _Rin would have, no matter if I had been there or not. _I shook my head to clear my mind of any further thoughts of him. Now was not the time.

"I didn't say that just so that you could get mad," Uncle Alastair elaborated. "I said it so you'd think. Even if you save them one day, what's to stop those bullies of yours from continuing where they left off?" He finished putting things away and turned to face me. "Do you think that these people are the one to learn a lesson just because you want them to?"

I remained silent, my cheeks burning in embarrassment. I _had_ thought that. Uncle Alastair sighed. "If you know there is no guarantee that they won't be back to their old ways, I suggest not patting yourself on the back just yet. You've got to stand up for what you believe until your point gets across. That's how you stop things from escalating further."

I was in shock. During breakfast, he was always immersed in either a really good book or his own research. He never had time to lecture me on my habits. Now, he's done just that and I'm in awe because it makes perfect sense. Well, this just shows how much I know about my uncle. Not only is he a drop-dead good looking librarian who was scatterbrained (and not in a good way) but he was also a motivational speaker on the path to greatness. I should probably start looking more into my family tree to see where those traits came from.

Just then, Alastair started to bemoan the disappearance of the stew he left on the stove and I laughed as I remembered where I had _placed_ it. He got mock angry and I played along. Pretty soon, we were both laughing at our ridiculous fight and while everything was all good and right with the world, we chowed down on the pizza he had brought home. While his attention was occupied though, I started to wonder: _How did Uncle Alastair know that the bullies were shooting the pigeons down?_

* * *

Remember that kitten I said that I found? Currently, it was dragging me all over the place and I didn't rightly appreciate it. But, it's like my mother always said: cats don't have owners; they have staff. And despite the ridiculousness of the claim, it was still borderline fact. A fact I ignored but I digress.

After his rousing breakfast and hourly nap, he decided he wanted to go for a walk and _would_ go for a walk, with or without me. And because I needed to walk off the pain that was inflicted upon me, I decided to… accompany him.

While he enjoyed his walk, I kept on the look-out for pets or strays or animals in general that needed rescuing of any kind. So far, I hadn't run into any but the view of these creatures in harmony was enough to warm my heart. Why couldn't our entire world be like that?

"HISS!" I snapped out of my reprieve long enough to see the kitten in one his moods. I'm being serious. He would hiss at nothing but the air for hours on end and he'd claw at anything that approached him. I'd learned that the hard way when I had tried to scratch him behind the ears. So, now that he was doing it once again, I had no desire to get close.

He hissed for another minute and a half before picking himself up gracefully and bounding away. I barely had enough time to try and follow before he disappeared around the corner. So, I sighed and gave chase. He had me racing through winding streets and so many twists and turns that I was sure that I was finally lost. It was maybe 2:00 when I finally realized where I was. I was standing in front of the doors of the Southern Cross Shopping Mall. The kitten made his way inside and I rushed to try and catch him. I didn't know the rules of the place but it was probably a bad idea to let a stray cat walk around a mall.

* * *

Once inside, I started a narrow investigation for finding out what happened to the cat. It was almost as he had disappeared in mid-air but I ignored those thoughts and focused on the task at hand. Trying to look nonchalant, I started to browse the items on the shelves, all the while scanning the floors, hoping that there wasn't a lynch mob around here with pitchforks. Okay, so I had an overactive imagination. But, so many people thought that cats were a demonic presence and that wasn't true. There were the fluffiest, cutest, most adorable, if not irrevocably spoiled animals in the world.

Mom had loved them and as a child always, had always tried taking home dozens and asking her parents if she could keep them. Since she and Dad were off on business, Uncle Alastair had chosen to take care of me until they return. So far, it's been four years and though I got the occasional postcard, we didn't see heads or tails of each other. Another flaw of being world-famous international doctors but it wasn't something I could change so I didn't bother trying.

"Oh, look there!"

"What is that smell?"

"It's so amazing!"

Frowning, I abandoned my search for a moment to see what all the fuss was about. Who and what I saw wasn't what I was expecting. Customers were crowded around a stir-fry trying out one of the cook's recipes. They were enraptured with the taste and smell of the noodles he prepared and asked for seconds. It wouldn't have meant much to me since I had already had breakfast but the face of the cook was a little hard to forget: Rin Okumura.

If I were being honest, I would have said that our meeting at the park was a pure fluke. Hero saves damsel in distress and goes away to find bigger and better adventures. I had not once thought that I'd see him again much less meet him only a couple of hours after our fateful incident. _Coincidence. This is merely a coincidence. _I chided myself, repeatedly. Then, with as much nonchalance as I could muster, I walked right up to him and said, "Gee, two times in a row, we've run into each other. It's almost as if you're reading my mind." Rin looked up at me and I felt a smirk growing. "Personally, I thought that your job was knight in shining armor and liberator of pigeons but it's nice to see that you have an actual job."

Rin's eyes emptied for a miniscule moment before flooding with recognition. "You're the same girl from this morning." The sound of burning noodles caught his attention and he hastily returned to scooping them up. I snorted when it was obvious he didn't remember my name. I sighed and reintroduced myself. "Try remembering this time. The name is Arianne Tekuto." He nodded, still completely focused on the noodles. He was about to throw away the sample when I snatched it from his palm. His gaze snapped to me in surprise as I prepared to take a bite. I interrupted whatever he was about to say. "I'm pretty sure I could eat better samples but when you think of all the animals out there on the street who are suffering from hunger…" I trailed off noting with embarrassment that I going on and on about my hobby and that was seriously getting me off-track. So, I finished lamely with, "I tend to be less picky than other people." Then, I took a bite.

"…"

_God_, I think my taste buds exploded and went to Heaven. If you see them up there with you, can you please send them back down and stop them from retreating back to Paradise when I take my second bite? Please and thank you! Moving past my overactive imagination, I swallowed and said, "This tastes delicious! Rin, you're really good!"

He smiled and relaxed a little bit more around me. "You really think so? It's not too burnt!"

"I'll tell you a secret: I don't lie. If I say it's good, then it's good! Plus, to say that it's burnt would be too big of an exaggeration." We grinned at one another and for a second, all was well.

"What's all this?"

A woman with yellowish-orange hair walked into the commotion. She wore extravagant red framed glasses, a yellow apron and a green traditional dress.

The employee next to Rin muttered, "B-Boss!"

The woman took in the scene with an expressionless glance, her eyes stopping on Rin before she picked up a bowl and took a bite. She stiffened ever so slightly and the rest of us froze. It was so quiet you could probably hear a pin drop. Then…

"Staff meetings start at 8:30 every morning." The orange haired woman fixed him with a studious look before walking away. "Tardiness will not be tolerated! Starting tomorrow, I want you to come in everyday with guns blazing!"

The crowd parted as she took her leave leaving Rin, his fellow employee, and I in shocked silence. Finally, I frowned. "Hold on…" Gesturing to Rin, I asked, "What just happened?"

Rin was at even more of a loss for words. Then the lady next to him gave him a friendly pat on the back. "She means you're hired. Congratulations, newbie!"

The smile that shone on Rin's face was one of the biggest I had seen and sunshine seemed to radiate off of him, which was ironic since we were in the middle of the supermarket. But, right now, it seemed like the boy could do no wrong.

* * *

Because I wanted to talk with him more, I waited while he phoned home excitedly, telling his parents the good news. They must have been proud. I would be… Here I am, talking about how proud I'd be of him and this is only our second meeting.

"Wow… awesome! I'll be right there, old man!" He hung up the phone and left the booth. With a sigh, I walked up to him and was surprised when he immediately acknowledged my presence. "Hey, it's Arianne, right?"

I nodded and he smiled. "What are you still doing here? I figured you must have other things to do than follow me around all day."

Follow him around? Oh, no, no, no, and no. "I think your memory is a bit jumbled. I was at the park before you this morning and this afternoon was a total coincidence, nothing more."

He smirked, his eyebrows raised. "You just keep telling yourself that."

I scowled but quit after a moment. I wanted to talk to him so I might as well try to be nice about it. "I guess your parents are proud that you got the job."

Rin's expression softened considerably. "It's only the old man and my brother, Yukio. My mother's not with us."

I nodded, understanding. Neither of my parents was around so I felt I could relate. "I know what you mean. Both of my parents are off on business. I hardly get postcards from them, much less see them."

Rin was frozen. "Did you live alone?"

"Not even. My dad left me with his younger brother. I live with him at the local library."

Rin nodded and laughed. "Speaking of coincidences, I live with the old man at the Southern Cross Church."

"So we're basically the same?" I was fighting a smile as I thought about what that implicated.

"I suppose it does," Rin said biting his lip to smother his own laughter. We took a look at each other's faces before we cracked and lost it. I giggled to no end while Rin laughed his ass off.

After a couple of snorts, I was able to speak once more and I asked him, "So, are you planning on doing anything to celebrate? If not, I'm totally willing to buy you a bowl of miso." I knew I sounded like a complete idiot but he was the first person who talked to me regardless of my unusual hobby. Every other person was warded away. But, he actually took the time to talk to me and believe it or not, I was grateful for the attention.

Rin smiled. "The old man throwing a party for me but thanks for the invite."

My smile faltered for a moment but I did my best to hide it. I don't think I did too well. "Oh, well, that's nice. You should go have fun. I guess I'll see you tomorrow when I go grocery shopping."

I began to walk away when he said, "Hey, you know, if you want, you can come along."

I turned back. "Come along?" I was confused.

He scratched his head as he carefully selected his words. "I mean, if you want, you can come with me… to the party."

My mouth dropped open. "Uh… I'd love to… but isn't that too soon?"

"Huh?"

I sighed. "This may very well be the start of a budding friendship but we've only just met today."

"We've met twice." He pointed out.

"Twice… on the same day. All I'm saying is that it would be weird if I suddenly decided to gatecrash a party your father is planning for you. It just wouldn't feel right." I shivered nervously.

Rin gave me a blank look. "I don't think that the old man or Yukio would care much. Half the time, they would just like to know that I've made a friend." He sulked a bit at that last part. But, again, I understood. That's the same way that Uncle Alastair was with me. Part of the reason he was so hard on me was because I preferred rescuing animals over making any friends. So, I knew how it felt. Plus, if we were that similar, maybe it would be good to meet his family.

With that decision in mind, I answered, "Alright, I'll come. Should I be there at a certain time?"

"What's wrong with coming with me now?" Rin asked.

I looked at him incredulously. "Have you seen what I'm wearing? This isn't the type of garb that you use for first impressions." Which was probably hypocritical of me since this was the same outfit that I had been wearing that morning. Plus… I had this nagging suspicion that I was forgetting something…

**"MRROWWW!"**

I whirled to see the cat at the edge of the street corner. Instantly, I remembered what I forgot and I knew that if I let that cat roam free any longer, I'd lose sight of him again. So as politely as I could, I uttered an apology. "Sorry. Can't come with you right now. I've been chasing my cat for a while now and I really can't let him get away. But, as soon as I've got him, I'll head over." I checked my watch. "It shouldn't take me too long. At least, it won't if he's not in a running mood."

As soon as the words left my mouth, the cat bolted and I sighed. "Which he seems to be in now. I'll see you later." Apologizing again, I left him in the supermarket parking lot and sprinted after my troublemaking furball. I had a feeling that this was going to take me a while.

* * *

**A/N: And that is the gist of the first chapter. Hopefully, I'll keep it up with this story as well as my other fanfic. By the next chapter, the mystery surrounding my OC and her peculiar family will be revealed. Please review, follow or favorite if you think I'm off to a good start. Until next time,**

**ArthurDragonpen, signing off!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Truth

**Chapter 2: The Truth**

**Disclaimer: ArthurDragonpen does not own Blue Exorcist**

**A/N: Hey, you guys, it's me again. To tell you the truth when i first started this fanfic, I wasn't sure I was ever going to finish it. Mostly becuase I hadn't thought the plot through. So, I was seriously thinking of deleting it. But, then, when i got a peculiar form of writer's block that barred me from writing the next chapter of the Counter Mage, inspiration struck and I was able to continue this one. I'm sorry it took so long. Hopefully, this chapter will make up for it. So, enjoy!**

* * *

_Is this a date?_ That was the question that was running through my mind as I prepared for the party. Of course I realized how stupid I sounded. I wasn't some lovesick girl who had been friends with the boy for months. This was just a friendly get-together with his family. Nothing more, nothing less. And maybe we would establish our relationship as friends a bit more. Who knows? This was my first party. I heard the clunking of someone climbing the stairwell and suddenly I remembered that I needed to tell my uncle where I was going. No need for me to forget to tell him and have the whole police force assembled looking for me as if I'd been kidnapped.

But I'd also have to tell him about my new friend. Well, possible new friend. But, I had a good feeling about it. That this was one friendship I wasn't going to lose. Settling on a casual sapphire blue dress that reached down to my knees, a silver winter coat, a small white handbag and some flats, I decided to head out. Finding my uncle in his office, I told him that I was going for a walk and that I would be back. He took a look at my clothes and raised an eyebrow.

"A little bit fancy for a walk, wouldn't you agree?" I kept my expression neutral as I worked out what to say. The truth was a start. But I'm not sure that it would sound right in this situation. _I'm just going over to my new friend's house to celebrate about his new job with his family who may or may not all be guys. We're just going to party for a bit and then I'll come home just after midnight… or not. Depending on how long the party goes on._ Yep, so not going there.

Alastair would freak if he knew that Rin was a guy and I was 'following him home'. He'd call the cops in a minute, no questions asked. So, I thought up something else. Choosing my words carefully, I replied, "I'm going to stop by the monastery, you know put in a prayer for Mom and Dad to be safe. We haven't really seen them in a while."

Uncle Alastair went back to scribbling on his notepad. A good three minutes passed before he answered. "So, you still remember the rules your mother set before she left."

Knowing her rules word for word, I quoted, "Church is not mandatory but if you must go, for any reason, you will wear something nice." I did a little twirl in my dress and Uncle Alastair laughed. He picked up where I left off. "Two: if you want to go out with any friends, you will wear something nice."

I smiled and delivered the final rule. "If a delinquent ever messes with me, distract him with whatever nice thing I'm wearing, then give him a face full of pepper spray, and kick him in the nuts."

"That's my girl!" We laughed, knowing that while the rules were absolute, they were made by my mother's fashion-obsessed state of mind and therefore were laughable.

"As long as you know what to do, I don't think I have much to worry about. Just don't get caught in the wrong crowd." He fixed me with a serious look, one that was full of love and understanding and one unexplainable emotion that I couldn't decipher. But, then he smiled again and that emotion along with everything else was gone. "Don't stay out too late, okay kid?"

* * *

Since I had told a lie about going to the church to pray for Mom, it looked like the only way to make up for it will be to… go to the church and actually pray for her. I'm determined to say that I'm not a liar so I guess there's no way around it. Besides, who knows what Mom and Dad were doing right this second? It might be a good idea to try it. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

The breeze picked up and I shivered, adjusting the sleeves of my coat. Now that I thought about it, a dress on a cold night does not protect against wind. The sooner I get to the church the better. I picked up the pace.

"Excuse me! Miss!" Seeing as though I was the only girl I could see in the area, I deduced the voice was talking to me. Stopping to turn was probably a dumb idea, given the 'rules' but this guy could have just been out on a walk, same as me. I should at least see what he wants. And if he was a thug… I still had that can of pepper spray.

Turning, I waited as he walked up to me and I studied his features as he caught his breath. He had chocolate brown hair and turquoise eyes. There were three moles on his face, two of them on the left side and a final one under his bottom lip. He wore glasses, a blue T-shirt and a beige cardigan and the look he wore was one of worry. Immediately, I felt sorry for the guy, despite not even knowing who he was or what he needed.

Be polite. I forced a smile on my face and asked, "Can I help you?"

The boy took a deep breath. "I was wondering if you might have seen my brother. His name is Rin. He has black hair and blue eyes and…"

I interrupted. "Hold on… when you say Rin, do you mean Rin Okumura?"

The boy's eyes widened and before he could ask, I set him straight. "No, I don't know where he is now but an hour ago, I had been talking to him. He had seemed ecstatic about his new job and he invited to his place to celebrate. I had just been on my way to meet him." I stopped and the conversation fell into silence. "Has he really disappeared?"

The boy had been silent throughout my explanation but at the sound of my question, he spoke out. "I usually don't know what Rin's thinking. We may be twins but we're the furthest thing from each other. He seemed so happy on the phone… I wonder what happened…" He trailed off and I thought about the situation. In a case like this, I guess my intuition was the best bet. If Rin and I were the same underneath… then I should be able to plot where he would go.

I focused on the boy in front of me. Based off of his own explanation and what Rin had told me earlier, I assumed that this must have been Yukio. Right now, he must have been worried sick about his brother. We needed to find him but where would he go? Wait a sec…

I sighed. Then directing my voice to Yukio, I said, "This could be a stretch but I think I know where Rin might have gone…"

* * *

By the time we reached the park, it was dark, cool and quiet. The moon had come out from behind clouds, casting a luminescent glow over the area. Scanning the playground equipment, I spotted a familiar face. Although I had never seen him in this way. Somehow in the last hour and a half, the world had found a way to screw with Rin Okumura. Pointing him in the right direction, I watched as he sidled up to his brother. For a while, I stood unmoving and I felt that maybe I should go and help him try and cheer up. But somehow, I knew that I wasn't needed here. With that realization in mind, I backed up and left as quickly as I had come. I doubted that they'd notice I was gone.

I wasn't being petty, just stating a fact. When I was in gloomy spirits, I felt better knowing that anyone I knew outside of my family wasn't around to see it. If I went over to him now, it might make him feel worse. I rationalized that train of thought to keep me moving forward, away from the park and back home.

"Mrroww!"

There he was again. That cat. I sighed and bent down to scratch him behind his ears. "How did you even get out of the house?" I muttered, completely exasperated about its behavior. It's like it lived to torment me. I ruffled its white fur and it hissed at me, his yellow eyes flaring angrily. Then as fast as possible, it scratched me and fled down the sidewalk back to the library. Wincing, I brought my hand to the closest light I could find and inspected it. Besides the four vertical lines on my palm, I was relatively fine. Though I guessed I would need some antiseptic treatment if I wanted the scratches to heal.

At the doors of the library, I came up with an idea. I knew how I could cheer up Rin. I could be him a gift – a get-well present. But then again, most of the stores would have been closed at this point in time and besides I didn't really have much money anyway. In that case, I'll have to improvise.

Making my way into the kitchen, I brought out the flour, sugar, and cookie dough. I also found my cookie sheet and cookie cutters. As I rolled the dough, I hummed to myself. Like it or not, Rin was about to get a surprise and if he doesn't smile at the effort I put into them, I will punch him in the stomach like I've been taught. Once he's angry, he can't be sad… Right?

* * *

After a near sleepless night, I invested my time into baking and may I say: I have a whole new respect for house wives now. Before this little endeavor started, I didn't even know how to make ice. And now I was in the kitchen with an apron on, flour all over the floor and walls, and a white cat desperately trying to clean the flour out of its fur. He hissed at me once and stalked away.

Remember his grumpy mood last night, I checked my hand. That night, I had cleaned the scratches and bandaged them. It still hurt like hell but at least it was bearable and as I was baking, the pain became the last thing on my mind. After maybe a couple of botched attempts and burnt cookies, I had made a slightly credible batch that tasted bearable and wasn't too crispy. Success.

Knowing that Uncle Alastair would get on me to clean the mess I made, I scurried to the door and headed out. I didn't want to be in that kitchen when his wrath was invoked. And honestly, I didn't have any more time. All the time I spent teaching myself to bake took up at least the whole day. It was close to afternoon now and if I didn't give him what I'd made soon, I'd chicken out. So, as I took the stairs two at a time, navigated through the maze of novels, threw open the double doors and made my way for the church, I told myself not to run away. To never run away again.

* * *

In hindsight, I probably should have thought it was weird that I was hearing Rin's voice so close. But as I had made my way to the church, I had been going over so many scenarios in my mind on how to approach this. I didn't want Rin to think I pitied him mostly because if I were in his situation, I would tell them to take their pity and shove it. But, I guess I hadn't thought through why I might suddenly give him cookies. What if he got the wrong idea and thought that I liked him? I mean _liked_ him, liked him? Could that really happen? Oh God, that would be so embarrassing. I mean, is it partially true? Yes but still…

"You mean you guys are going to the same elite school as Yukio? Yeah, I can see how that can be a problem."

I stopped in my tracks as the sound of Rin's voice reached my ears. It was coming from that small alcove underneath the bridge. Flattening myself against the wall, I inched forward until I was close enough to see what all the commotion was about. It was Rin, all right. But, he wasn't alone. Shiratori and his nameless lackeys were all there. I stiffened slightly. What was Shiratori up to? What did he want with Rin? Probably payback. But, something felt off. It was the way he held himself. It wasn't so much rich boy wonder as it was demonic resident evil.

Shiratori, for once, seemed to look all business-like. No tricks up his sleeve. Something I still wasn't convinced by especially since I wanted to punch in his smug little face. "You see my point!" He pulled out a wad of cash and I quieted my thoughts. "So consider this hush money. I'll buy your silence. To keep this episode between you and me." He held the money out and though I could only see the back of Rin's head, I notice him relax a good inch.

"Huh," he snorted, "You really threw me a curve there. He made a motion as if to leave and I flattened myself against the wall again. "Keep your money. I won't tell… Ok, I got things to do." His foot prints approached me and I freaked. How was I going to explain what I was doing here? Spying and eavesdropping probably wouldn't be an acceptable answer.

"Oh, my! What is that, bravado?" Shiratori laughs like the bastard he is. "Just take the money like a good boy. Everyone knows you're so poor you can't even get into school without help."

Shiratori was taunting Rin. There was no other way of thinking about it. But it didn't seem like Rin was taking the bait. At least he wasn't until…

"That brother of yours, Yukio, he only got into that school by cramming like hell and winning a scholarship, right? In other words, he's in debt." Rin's look darkened as he turned back to Shiratori. And then the bastard had to take another step forward by saying, "I feel for you. Why don't you use this to help pay for his tuition… Ohhhfff!" That was all Shiratori could say before Rin punched him in the jaw, sending him flying to the ground.

Rin scowled. "You scumbag, you can say whatever you want about me… but you better not diss my brother!"

"… Man, that hurt! I wouldn't push your luck if I were you!" He screamed out that last part and I watched as something horrific happened. A wave of black energy surrounded Shiratori's form. His lackeys grabbed Rin, forcing him down to the dirt. I would have jumped in without a plan as usual if it meant helping a friend. But, I could do nothing but stare transfixed as Shiratori… changed. His hands grew long, sharp claws. His teeth elongated and his jaw stretched. From the sides of his head grew ram horns with tips glowing red, as if they had been bathed in blood. To top off his incredibly foreign look was the addition of a wily, black tail. And though not even one of his lackeys seemed to notice a thing wrong with their leader, I could tell that by the set of his hunched form, Rin could see as well as I did. Whoever Shiratori was, he wasn't human.

The monstrosity went over to the fire and pulled a red-hot pole from the flames. My breathing hitched as I realized what he was going to do. Taking a quick look around, I spotted a wooden board. Picking it up, I realized that it wasn't too heavy but should still be sturdy enough to knock someone out. As the eyes of Shiratori and his friends were fixed on Rin, I sneaked closer to them.

"An eye for an eye… a tooth for a tooth, as they say! I'm going to give you back twice the pain that you caused me!" The look in Shiratori's eyes was manic and insane. I needed to stop this at once. Gathering my courage, I broke from the shadows and brought my weapon down on Shiratori's head.

It snapped in half and in the confusion, no one moved. I was frozen in my tracks and I could tell that Rin was just as surprised. As for Shiratori… as inhumanly fast as possible, his hand grabbed by the throat and lifted me up. I coughed, my lungs screaming in agony as the oxygen was expelled. I grabbed at his hand, struggling against his might. But, already, I could feel my vision fading, turning dark. I closed my eyes, and despaired as I forgot how to open them again. My mind was blank. In the background, I could hear someone yelling my name but I didn't know who. I couldn't… it was just…

Too…

Much.

* * *

"Wake up, princess! We're nearly home, you hear!" I gasped, jerking upright. I heard an 'Offf!' and turned to see Uncle Alastair. He was carrying me down Southern Cross Road towards the library. Walking at his side was Mr. Cat (for lack of a better name).

"Easy there, princess, you could injure one of my lungs." His voice was cheery but even he couldn't hide the caution and care in his eyes. He walked with a purposeful stride and soon we at the doors of the Fortress of Knowledge.

I sifted through my memories and through some strange force of will, happened upon the recollection of the past couple of minutes. Remembering Shiratori and his monstrous form… I shuddered, knowing that Uncle Alastair could fell it through his clothes. Setting me down on a bench, he went off to fetch me a blanket and a cup of hot tea while I wallowed in my cryptic somewhat messed-up mind.

I guess I had to ask the question myself: Did I really see what I'd thought I'd saw? Shiratori turning into some type of demon?

Uncle Alastair came back, draping the blanket over my body and handing me a cup of tea. Once he poured himself a glass, he spoke clearly. "When you calm down enough, I want you to tell me what happened to you. Did that boy on the ground attack you? Where you fighting him or being restrained by him?"

Boy on the ground… Rin? "No," I shouted, causing my uncle to jump, "Rin didn't have anything to do with it. Okay, so that's not totally true. He was the one who was attacked. I was just trying to help him… hold on, did you leave Rin there? Even after you came to get me?"

My uncle pulled at his curls. "That depends. Did this Rin of yours have pale purple hair?"

"Did you say purple?" He nodded and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Who you saw must have been Shiratori. He's that bastard I was telling you about yesterday. Remember?"

He nodded again but the move was abrupt. Like he was only going through the motions. Almost as if he didn't mean it at all. His eyes searched mine intensely and I looked away. Finally, he sighed. "There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"

I didn't contradict him, mostly because he usually knew when I was lying. It was one of the reasons that I just told the truth, no matter the situation. So, instead, I nodded my head but remained ever silent. I felt him place his hand on my shoulder. "You can tell me anything, you know that, Arianne."

I choked out, "What if you don't understand? What if you can't possibly believe a word that I say? What then?"

Uncle Alastair was quiet as he pondered the question. Finally, he said, "If that were to happen, I give you permission to punch me as hard as you want."

I gasped slightly. Violence wasn't prohibited inside the library so he must have been serious. He looked to me. "Now, go back and explain what happened from beginning to end.

I found myself telling him about everything. How Rin and I had met that morning, getting and losing his job, and the fight. Everything that had happened in the span of the two days. When it came time to tell him about Shiratori's transformation, I rushed through the words, stumbling over them many times and going back to correct myself. Out of the corner of my eye, Mr. Cat licked his pad once before trotting out of the room. When I was finally finished, Uncle Alastair was in shock.

"You know, most of that sounded better in my head. Just forget about it." Feeling a sharp sting in my hand, I checked the bandages to find that they were ripped away at some point during the confrontation. Noting the scratches on the back of my hand, Uncle Alastair eyes widened another fraction. "A Demon Temptaint! But how? When…?" He babbled on and on, me only getting a bit of what he was saying. Finally, he slumped in his chair. "At least it has been treated properly. If not, you could have died."

"Died?" I looked back at the vertical lines and stared up at my uncle skeptically. "They're just scratches, Uncle; I doubt they could have killed me. And what do you mean, a _Demon _Temptaint? What was it supposed to do?"

"That, my dear, is supposed to give you the ability to see demons and from your explanation, it seems that the mark has done its work." The voice was formal, masculine and not Uncle Alastair's. I searched the empty space around us. No one was here. _Had I imagined that?_

Apparently not, for soon after, Uncle Alastair got to his feet, an evident look of fury settling on his features. He shouted into the darkness, "We agreed not to involve her. Laurie, Reshiro, and I knew that as long as Laurie did her job, Arianne wouldn't be pulled into this world. You know that."

"I'm fully aware of your _pact_" the voice said, becoming slightly bemused at the word, as if there was some irony to it, "but if I have decided to return and give Arianne the Sight, then you yourself know why. She is the only one who can do this now. But if you don't wish to put the girl in harm's way, you can try to keep her from her destiny and watch as the world crumbles around you. Your choice."

The voice fell silent and the presence that came with it was gone as well. Uncle Alastair went from angry to resigned. He looked to me once and that was enough to convey all of my feelings. Despite not knowing what he was talking about, obviously that last part had been about me and something else. I needed to know what. So, it didn't surprise me when Uncle Alastair told me what I wanted to hear. The only surprise came from the story itself.

* * *

_The worlds of human and demon used to be one. Because demons were more primitive, more vicious, they acted as rulers of God's realm; titles they did not deserve but titles that we could not take from them._

_Your ancestor, Tamar Tekuto, would not allow for humankind to live under their rule. It was just as well because all around the world, humans were rallying up, preparing for war. Tamar knew that that the fight was inevitable but also understood that in their current numbers, they would lose as long they had no power to speak of. So, Tamar set a plan in motion. Gaining a group of followers that rallied to hundreds in a short time, he had them all swear an oath to fight with honor for God's holy realm or die trying. Each man agreed and the Oath was set. Finally, Tamar and his four faithful companions invoked a ritual of ancient power. Its energy was so great that it killed all of those whose spiritual ability wasn't strong enough to take the brunt force of it, killing off his four companions in the blink of an eye._

_Tamar was saddened greatly but completed the ritual, allying himself and the rest of his army with the light. Through the power of this ritual, each member of the army gained a special power that gave them strength over Satan's forces. And lead by the first Tamer, mankind had its first victory against the darkness. The wars went on for a long time before Tamar realized that the ritual he had used had another purpose, one that was never documented as successful. If you survive the effects of the ritual a certain number of times, a power can be retrieved from it that can split the two worlds in half._

_Tamar knew that he was the only one who could do this seeing as he survived the first time. He traveled to the other warrior colonies, insistent that they listen to what he had to say. And when all was good and done, they pledged loyalty to him and using his spiritual power, he cast the ritual circle. Again, the circle killed off four but the deaths were of no consequence when the ritual was completed. Just as before, the armies of the North gained one of the five abilities entrusted to them and with that power, they drove back the demons. _

_Tamar did this ritual a number of three more times before he figured that it was enough. Finally, he climbed the greatest mountain of the country and cast one final ritual. A price had to be paid for it to work and he said he'd gladly pay it. When the deal was struck, a veil of Ancient Magic was raised between the two worlds, meant to protect but not to separate as ultimate salvation is only within the heavens. Satan's armies were sent to the deepest darkest pits of a new world, Gehenna. And we, the humans were about to start the reconstruction of our world, Assiah. All because of a Pact of Five._

_Tamar would not have to pay the price until his first born child came into being. From that moment on, he was given a prophecy:_

Only five can protect

But so too can they destroy

Blood of your blood must take strength

To seal evil's might

For all the days of your life

And theirs after you

Until the day when your line dwindles to one

And the seal is unleashed

* * *

My mind was swimming, trying hard not to drown and having little success. "Uh… okay, I feel a bit overloaded right now. Just give me a second." I got to my feet and paced in a circle for a minute trying to wrap my mind around… that. Compared to what I had seen, none of it seemed real. Still, I had asked for the truth. Either I had to accept it or admit to myself that I was crazy. And I knew for a fact that I was not.

Hesitantly, I spoke. "Let me see if I have this right…" I paused to think it through. "There used to be one world but through the forces of Light and the efforts of one of my ancestors, the worlds were split into two: Assiah and Gehenna." I looked to my uncle for confirmation and he nodded.

"But, the method he used to separate the two worlds came with a price. And judging from that prophecy, it has to do with taming five demons." He nodded once again and I continued. "So now all of his offspring have to tame five demons to keep the seal separating the worlds intact."

"Not necessarily. Usually, there is only one guardian of the worlds every other generation. This is mostly due to the fact that the Pact allows for its chosen offspring to wield longevity that should keep them from aging as much as any regular human. Because of this, only every few generations have to deal with this problem. Laurie was the last to have to leave behind her life as a regular human and enter the ranks of Exorcist and now, Arianne, it's your turn."

* * *

**A/N: If that isn't good writing, I don't know what is. Though I guess I've seen fanfics way better than mine. Still, the time I invested into this chapter was a lot. So, here's to hoping that soon more of you will review, favorite or follow. Until next time,**

**ArthurDragonpen, signing off!**


	3. Chapter 3: The First Demon

**Chapter 3: The First Demon**

**Disclaimer: ArthurDragonpen does not own Blue Exorcist**

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back. Due to having a whole day to myself, I was able to complete yet another chapter. This one will further explain a few things while resolving the conflict between Rin and my OC in a way I found quite funny. Plus, you will meet another character who becomes somewhat essential to the story. So, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

I've heard a lot of over-the-top things in my life but that one takes the cake. Uncle Alastair just stared at me as I sat there all calm, cool and collected. At least that's how I must have seemed on the outside. Inside, there was a hurricane of thoughts pushing me down, a sea of worries drowning me, and an earthquake of doubt ripping through my very being.

I was just a normal girl maybe a couple of hours ago and now I was the last hope for all of humanity. _And all I had to do was become an Exorcist, tame five demons, and perform a ritual that permanently rebuilds the wall between the two worlds. Never mind the fact that I knew nothing of being an Exorcist, taming demons or how to perform this ritual in the first place._ Uncle Alastair wasn't being too helpful either. After his explanation, he had packed me a bag of clothes and essentials before saying, "Laurie always knew that this day would come. And so, she arranged a place for you at True Cross Academy if ever you needed it. You'll never need any more than now. Once I place a call to the director, he will come to pick you up and you'll begin your training."

Snapping out of my trance long enough to catch what he said, I asked the question that had been on my mind since he mentioned it. "If my mother was the guardian, how did the role switch to me? Why is it in my hands now?"

"You'll have to tell her at some point." The voice of thirty minutes ago had come back, this time with a vengeance. "She's smart enough to figure it out on her own so you might as well do it while her open wounds are still fresh, so to speak."

This time, Uncle Alastair nodded. "I guess when it comes down to it; you'll need to know this. Otherwise, understanding will be the least of your worries. Just know that we did everything with the best of intentions. Everything we did – the lies, the subterfuge, all of it – was to protect you."

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.

"Laurie… isn't your mother," My world froze over at those words. My chest was tight and tears lined my eyes. I swallowed and when that didn't help, swallowed again. "What?"

"The woman you knew as Mom was Laurie Tekuto, your older sister. She was born sixteen years before you were. The same goes for your father and me. Reshiro was her boyfriend, not her husband and as such I'm not your uncle."

I could feel the tears in my eyes building but I couldn't care less as they split out, trailing lines down my cheeks. "Laurie was my sister? That- That can't be right. If that's true, what happened to my real mother?"

Uncle – no – Alastair's face was grim. "Your mother was just about to give birth to you when demons descended upon them. Reshiro and I fought them off while Laurie watched out for her. Your mother wasn't strong enough to endure after your birth and died that day. It was also the day Laurie tamed her first demon. By that point, she realized that you would share the same fate if she allowed it."

He turned away towards the book shelves, riffling through the books. "So, she hid you away and hid the knowledge of this world away as well. We knew it was not absolute as they were many points in time when your childhood mind allowed you to discern the truth for yourself but in time, you forgot about those memories and your growing mind set barriers around itself as all the minds in the world do."

Finding the book he was looking for, he turned back to me and said, "We knew that if Laurie failed in her quest, then it would be your turn to take her place. The fact that the first demon is here just proves that more."

_First Demon?_

Alastair looked to the darkness of the library once more. "It's time she knew what you really were. Step from the shadows."

For a moment, all was silent. Then, a soft noise reached my ears as the shadows seemed to expel a single body forward. Still, I was slightly confused as Mr. Cat made his appearance and stood in front of me, his expression rather bored. I looked to Alastair, as if wondering if this was all just a joke. "You do realize that this is just a cat? Right?"

The cat made a choking noise and, I kid you not, rolled his eyes at me. I was starting to worry again when Mr. Cat's ears perked up and he hissed in alarm. Alastair rushed past me and opened the doors to stick his head out. Closing them and barring them, he moved to the reception desk and began fiddling with something. "Arianne, back away from the doors. We're being invaded."

Invaded? "By what?"

"Ghouls. Demons that possess the dead. I was so sure that they would have followed the other boy…" He trailed off. "But it seems that when your Sight showed up, so too did your spiritual energy. Because of its massive size and quantity, demons of all sorts will be after you, wishing to claim that energy as their own. And they won't rest until they have done so."

Stepping out from behind the desk, I finally saw what he was fiddling with. I'd only seen things like that in hunting shows and even then they hadn't seemed realistic. But as my newly dubbed "not Uncle Alastair" pulled out his 15 caliber shotgun, it looked real enough. In his belt were a couple of Glock 23's, an ammo pouch, and even five grenades.

My eyes must have widened to the size of dinner plates. "Good Lord, are we going to war?"

Alastair sighed. "This will only do so much damage. The only thing that can stop them now would be him." He gestured to the cat, which was now licking his pads.

"So we just throw him out and he'll take care of them for us?" I asked skeptically. I was hoping he'd say no. Despite this cat's lukewarm reactions to me, I didn't actually wish to throw him out. But, that just might have been my passion/obsession talking.

"Of course not, he has many gifts but as a general rule, he can't use any of them until his master calls out his name. Because you are his new master, it is your job to name him. But, it has to be his true name. Things like Tabby or Whiskers won't work."

THUMP! THUMP! All around us, the sounds of bodies hitting the walls was heard. Alastair gritted his teeth. "Damn, they've surrounded the premises." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a hunched figure in the window. It stared out me with sunken red eyes and I knew it one of _them. _It gave a quick cry and the banging on the doors became more insistent.

CRACK! The windows were breaking. Soon, they would be nothing between the demons and us. Alastair cursed. "Arianne, take this book and get upstairs. As his true master, you should know his name by heart but this," he said, shoving the book into my arms, "is for insurance. Every demon worth naming is mentioned in this book. His name should also be there somewhere. Now, get going. You don't have time to spare."

Crash! The sound itself was far off but it confirmed our fears. They'd made it in. I scurried up the steps, Mr. Cat on my heels. At the top, I turned to look back once at Alastair, the man I had known as uncle for so long. The expression on his face was sad but the grip on his gun was firm and his determination shone through. Even if he died, he wouldn't let them touch me. The only problem I had with that was realizing that if I didn't figure out my powers in time, my uncle's death would be my fault.

* * *

Locking the door behind me, I rushed to all the windows of the apartment, closing the drapes or shades before reinforcing the door's lock with a chair. I know, not like that was going to help. Making my way to the living room, I laid the book out in front of me and opened to a random page. As I flipped through the book, I speed-read the pages, looking for the right name. _Alastair said that I should know the name by heart but none of these feel right._

BANG! BANG! Alastair's shotgun went off and I could hear gut-wrenching cries under me. I tried to my hardest to stay there, kneeling on the ground, my nose in a book, but the thought of Alastair down there alone – whether or not being my flesh and blood – do not bode well with me. If I failed, he'd be condemned to death. How could he live with that?

CRACK! The sound of one of the windows caught my attention. Lifting up one of the shades, I caught sight of one of a pair of fluttering wings just before a beak rammed the window again and I jumped back.

Hurrying back to the book, I flipped to the next page and picked up where I left off. But, my fingers were trembling with ferocity. I was afraid. I was afraid of what was happening. Afraid of the way the world was turning. No, that's not right. I was afraid of the world being as it has always been me only just figuring out about it.

I closed my eyes and pulled my hands over my ears and tried to block out the noises of cracking windows, the cries of pain and the insistent mewing of the cat beside me. I blotted it out, choosing to focus on simpler times like my childhood. _This wasn't real. This wasn't real. It can't be… it makes no sense._

_"Arianne…"_

_I opened my eyes to find a woman with long black hair looking to me lovingly. She was short with blue eyes and a peaceful expression. I choked out, "Laurie…"_

_She smiled and walked forward. I couldn't contain myself, running towards her, my thoughts screaming their joy. She's alive. She's alive, they cried._

_I was nearly there when her next words stopped me cold. "Arianne, why are you so dirty? Have you been playing with the stray cats again?"_

_"No, Momma, this time, I saved one of them." This voice had come from a girl standing not that far behind. She was wearing a pair of blue overalls with dirt on its middle and a white T-shirt. Her hair fell down in short, black curls and she seemed to be carrying a small fluff ball in her arms. The girl walked right through me and stood in front of Laurie. _

_Laurie was amused. But, when she saw the object in her hands, recognition flared in her and I gasped._

_Laurie forced the smile back unto her face. "It's such a cute kitty. Are you planning on keeping it?"_

_The girl thought for a moment. Finally, she gave Laurie a bright smile. "Yup, and I already know what I want to name it. She set the kitten down next to her feet and beckoned for Laurie to come closer. Leaning in, she whispered the name into Laurie's ear._

_Her expression went pale but she forced herself to keep smiling. When the girl picked the kitten up again, Laurie asked, "What would you name it that? Why not Whiskers?"_

_"It just feels right, you know?" She gave Laurie a sunny smile and Laurie returned it, despite it being rather forced. _

* * *

I was still shocked as the memory faded and the real world was brought back. Despite the things happening around me, I think I finally understood something. What was happening now wasn't new to me. I had seen it all before when I was a child. That girl had been me. And… I turned to the cat staring apprehensively at me. "You were the cat I rescued that day."

He nodded once, which confirmed everything. I knew this cat's name; it was the one thing from that day that I still remembered.

CRASH! The windows exploded as the Ghouls made their way into the apartment. Grabbing the book and skipping to the 'S' section, I went through the names. Finally, my finger landed on the right one. Looking up, I could see the cat hissing at the approaching demons. _I've only got one shot at this._

Clearing my throat, I called out the words that came to mind. "Keeper of animals, ruler of beasts, heed my call! Thy name is Sirchade!"

Sirchade looked to me with pride before he began to glow. The ghouls backed away from the light and once again I was left in awe. I probably would have sat there forever but something was telling me I wasn't yet done. New words entered my thoughts, telling me to repeat after them. So following my head, I chanted, "Give unto me your boundless strength and unlimited knowledge so that I may smite my enemies."

The glow faded and where a cat had once stood was a white tiger with glowing blue eyes. His fur was striped, his canines were extended, and he looked about ready to rip out some ghoul throats. He growled slightly and the ghouls seemed to grow more panicked with each passing second. Now was the time to finish this.

I delivered the final part of the chant. "Devil's Roar!"

Sirchade roared loud and the sound of a thousand tigers shook the house. Almost as one, the ghouls fell down dead before disintegrating before my eyes. When the last of them had turned to dust, Sirchade fell silent, his form grew smaller, and he turned back into a cat with blue eyes, black paws and white fur. He gave me what passed for an amused look before he slinked away, down the hall and out of sight.

Meanwhile, I was exhausted to the bone. I didn't feel like getting up and assessing the damage but I knew that I had to. Slowly getting to my feet, I stretched and checked the hall. Nothing. No enemies as far as I could see. Opening the apartment door, I set off to find out what happened with Alastair. What I found was horrific. The demons who had heard Sirchade's roar had turned to dust but it seemed that one was still alive and kicking and from what I could tell, that was Alastair he was clawing at.

As I rushed down the steps, I assessed his wounds. He didn't look so good. His clothes were torn and his right arm and leg looked as if they were twisted the wrong way. With his good hand, he was holding the ghoul at bay but it was a losing battle. Searching the area, I found the shot gun, lying on the floor next to the stairs. Taking aim, I shot that demonic puppy. It cried out in agony. Despite how much that sound pained me, I knew there was no other way around it. So, I shot again. And again. I shot at it until it was long dead. I shot at even though I was tired and angry at all of the lies, the secrets. Only when it disintegrated in the wind did I finally lower the weapon and let it drop to the floor.

I wanted to cry but my work was not yet done. Whipping out my phone, I called for an ambulance, saying that a group of thugs attacked my uncle, and ransacked the place. Then with a heavy heart, I sat myself down next to Alastair and went to sleep.

* * *

It was a good day before they finally let me leave the hospital. Because my injuries weren't as severe, I was in less danger. Uncle Alastair had it worse. He would need to stay in the hospital for a while with the broken arm and leg only being the first reason. He also need 55 stitches and was placed in the emergencty ER. I had waited for hours to get even a small glimmer of news. Finally, the doctors told me that his survival was nothing short of a miracle and that he would be fine in a few months. I sighed in relief. _One problem solved._ I asked the doctor to tell Alastair where I was going if he awoke before I made it back. Then, I high-tailed it to the monastery as fast as I could. I had to see if Rin and his family were all right.

I went over what Alastair had said before the ghouls had attacked. _"Ghouls. Demons that possess the dead. I was so sure that they would have followed the other boy…"_

If that was the case, then that meant that Rin was in danger as well or at least had been in danger. Recognizing the gates of the church up ahead, I ran in, surprised to find everything in ruins. The gates were bent. The chapel was in tatters and if I wasn't mistaken, I think that was a truck amongst the wreckage. "But how in the world could someone drive a truck all the way into a church and," I inspected the headlights of the vehicle, "what type of wall does _this_ amount of damage?"

"Hey what are you doing here?" I turned to see Yukio in a black suit. His eyes were sad but his face was stern.

"Hey, Yukio, it's Arianne. We met two days ago, remember?" I said hesitantly.

He looked closer and seemed to recognize me. "Arianne? What are you doing here?" Then, he noticed my bandages. "What happened to you? Are you okay?"

I waved away his concern. I'm fine. I'm more worried about Rin. And you know…" I gestured at the wreckage and rubble around us, "What all this is about."

Yukio grew sadder. "I was at school when it happened but they say that the driver was drunk when he veered off the road and into the monastery. Father didn't even see it coming. I'm not sure anyone did. And well, one thing led to another and now my father is gone."

My heart constricted and I nearly cried out. Was this my fault as well? Had I involved these two in my new world without even knowing it? Were they my sin to bear for trying to gain friends? If so, then the universe surely hates me. I knew what he was saying didn't match with what I was thinking. But, if Alastair was right, then they probably weren't able to see the demons. They wouldn't have known of the danger. "I'm sorry."

Yukio nodded. I could tell that my apology was one of the last things on his mind. He responded by saying, "Anyway, Rin said he wanted to be alone. So, I would like for you to respect his wishes."

This, if I had to guess, was the polite equivalent of "Leave my brother and me to our grief" but given my own messed-up feelings, I could hardly argue.

* * *

On the way back to the hospital, I ran into Sirchade, who apparently had come after me. As we walked back in silence, I asked a question that I knew needed to be asked. "So, when are you going to get around to talking to me? In the library, it sounded as if you couldn't live without hearing the sound of your voice."

Sirchade snorted and gave me a long look. When he was satisfied, he opened his mouth and answered in a bored tone, "I had to be sure that you could handle everything that had happened so far. You've just been inducted into the world of demons. I'd rather be safe than cautious."

I nodded my head in understanding. "Don't worry, I get it. A couple of hours ago, I might have been screaming if you just started talking to me without warning. And now…" I trailed off, thinking about it.

And now I was the last of the Tekuto line, charged with protecting the veil that separates our two worlds. I knew that I'd get scared and maybe I'd even try to run away but as long as I remember why I'm fighting, I was sure everything would work out in the end. And in the meantime, I needed to learn how to be an Exorcist.

* * *

It had been a couple of days since the attack. In that time, Sirchade had give n me a refresher course on all things Gehenna so I'd be prepared once I started school at True Cross. Stripping my closet bare, I went through the clothes, looking for proper attire. I grabbed at one of my dresses and was shocked to see that it was the same one I had worn that final night before everything changed. Placing the dress into the bag, I quickly packed as my thoughts hurriedly took me away and I started thinking about him again. Rin. Maybe I could go to see him before I left. But, was that a good idea?

Sure, I wanted to meet up with him and ask him how he was doing but it was my fault that he and his family were attacked in the first place. If I were to show up, the demons would be attracted to his place again and I can't let that happen. I had to be responsible. I had to become an Exorcist. No side trips, no shortcuts.

I had to do what my sister wanted me to do if I ever caught myself in this situation. When I had completely packed, I heard Sirchade's voice call out to me.

"It's time. The car is waiting out front. Are you ready?"

I looked to him. Sirchade, keeper of animals and ruler of beasts, was my familiar. And I guess I was just going to have to get used to that.

* * *

True Cross Academy was a lot more spacious than I thought. Because the campus had been built at the base of a mountain-like city, the view was pretty epic. Though I would love to see the mountain under all that building, I was pressed for time. After changing into my school uniform, Sirchade appeared to give me a run-down of what would happen at the school. "Because of your last minute call, you have appeared at the end of the Orientation Assembly, unfortunately for you. But that puts you in a good situation. Now, you won't have to deal with any regular schooling related things until next week which gives you plenty of time to work on being an Exorcist."

As I pulled my long, black hair back into a braid, I sighed. "I know I agreed to become an Exorcist but if I don't know what's going on at the school, how can I know what is expected of me? Are you supposed to tell me?"

"Why are you asking me? I am only a cat. I have no use for knowledge that will not benefit me in any way." Sirchade bent to lick his paw and I sulked in silence. Once he was done with grooming, he disappeared and reappeared outside of the car. Opening the door, I stepped out and watched as the car drove away.

Sirchade explained before I could stress about my luggage. "The driver shall take your luggage to your room. For now, we best be going. I'm going to be running. So if you don't plan on being late on your first day, I'd suggest you run as well." He ran away at top speed and I had to sprint to keep up with him. When we were a good mile down the road, he slowed to a stop at two streetlights standing side by side.

As I caught my breath, Sirchade mentioned yet another thing I didn't know. "I almost forgot, this," he said pulling a key out of nowhere, "is a very special key. Keep it on your person at all times." Taking the key from him, I turned it over a couple of times.

"What's so special about it?" I asked, slightly perplexed.

Sirchade looked to the streetlights. "On the other side of those lights, there is a door. Insert that key into the lock and you will see."

I did as he suggested. It took me a moment to realize that when he said "other side", he meant under. But, I wasn't going to hold that against him. Measurements must be so strange for a "cat". Inserting the key into the slot, I turned and the door unlocked. Pushing it open, I was shocked to see a long, narrow hall way, extending from both ends. On each side, there was a door. A black door that looked exactly the same as the one next to it and the one across from that.

Sirchade walked through my legs into the hall and I followed. "So, now what? All of these doors look exactly the same."

Sirchade made a noise that sounded suspiciously like sighing. Then, he walked away, his tail beckoning at me to follow. I did, but at a slower pace. Sirchade was quiet for a while before stopping at one of the doors. "The rest of your classmates should be here. I'll leave you now."

"Hold on. You're not coming with me?"

Sirchade shook his head. "There is no need to. The first day probably won't be too taxing. Besides, you only need to reveal your skills only when you have true need of them." And then, as if that explanation explained everything, he trotted away, his tail high in the air and his foot soft and fading. Soon, he was gone.

I sighed. How did Laurie ever deal with that cat? He was basically a fluff ball of attitude. But moving on…

What was on the other side of this door? Other students probably. Still, that didn't do anything to the massive dread welling within me. Well_, I'm already on the threshold, might as well step through…_

So, gathering my courage, I opened the door and stepped through. Hoping to set a good impression, I decide to introduce myself to my classmates but I never got the chance. Because then, my eyes settled on _him_ and hell freezes over. "How?"

Shuffling to _his_ table, I slam my hands down on the table. The sound echoes through the room, catching everyone off guard. I'm breathing deeply. Hyperventilating, probably but I care not. Gripping the front of his shirt and pulling him across the table so that we are face-to-face, I ask what I think is the obvious question. "What. The. Hell. Are you doing here, Rin?"

* * *

**A/N: And so ends another chapter. Just to help you out, I've decided to give you the correct pronunciation so you can say the demon names right and not have to ask as part of your reviews. So, the first demon that you meet is Sirchade. When you say his name, It's like saying "Sir" as if you're referring to someone and "Shade". The "c" is supposed to make an "s" sound. Just FYI.**

**So that's it for now! If I put in another intense say of writing, I might be able to come out with the next chapter by Friday. But if not, then I will get to it when I get to it. So, please, tell me what you think, favorite it if you want me to continue, and follow if you want to know when I've updated. I gotta go...**

**ArthurDragonpen, signing off!**


	4. Chapter 4: Surprise, Surprise

**Chapter 4: Surprise, Surprise**

**Disclaimer: ArthurDragonpen does not own Blue Exorcist**

**A/N: I will apologize in advance. This chapter is sort of short. And this is for two reasons: One: it was meant to be an intermission between episodes three and four and as far as I was concerned, there was no real reason Arianne could have gone with Yukio and Rin to see Shiemi. Plus, she would have needed a key to get there, which was just another complication. Second: I needed to explain Arianne's demons and her duty a little bit more as well as get here started on her training. Because that was all this chapter was about, it was exceptionally shorter than anything I could write if I stayed on the topic of the original episode. Still, I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

If this had been any other day, I would have scolded myself for the scene I was making. But at this point, with Rin's face this close to mine, after believing that I had left him back home, well, I was through being the shy girl. Plus, I was curious. What had happened that night, I still knew nothing about. But, I had taken care of the ghouls so this shouldn't have happened. Oh man, was I doomed to be a failure before I even received my first task as Exorcist?

Rin, of course, was just as confused as the first day we had met. He blinked at me, trying to comprehend what I was doing here. He tried to form the words but no sound came out. And me, I was burning up, too angry to even consider any other possibilities. What had happened to him was my fault. He lost his father because of… my eyes widened and I let him go, stepping back. I was starting to feel my mental shields recompose themselves and I instantly reverted to the shy girl. Breathing deeply, I rushed to the second to last table at the back of the class and sat down, refusing to meet anyone's gaze. A second after, the door opened and in walked our instructor.

Frankly, I shouldn't have been surprised, what with Rin showing up out of the blue and all, but even I had to admit this was bizarre.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Yukio Okumura, a new instructor teaching Anti-Demon Pharmaceuticals."

Rin jumped out of his seat at the same time as I had. "Yukio?" we questioned in unison. Rin looked back to me and I blushed a bright red before taking my seat and trying not to call any more attention to myself.

A girl with long purple hair and circular eyebrows repeated Yukio's greeting politely, followed by the small mousy girl sitting next to her. Rin, however, couldn't get over this fact. Don't get me wrong; I was reeling from this unexpected surprise but at least I had enough self-control to not jump two people in one day. And technically, this was the first time Rin was the one making the outburst, which makes our similarities even more noticeable.

"What the hell, Yukio?"

Yukio still stood in the front the room, as if nothing at all was wrong. "Is there a problem?"

"What do you mean, _is_ there a problem? The question is: What's your problem?" Rin's voice had escalated a bit and I bit my lip to keep from voicing my complaints as well. None of this was making sense…

Yukio looked to the rest of the class, slightly apologetic. "Sorry, although I'm actually the same age as you all, I've been studying exorcism since I was seven and I finished all of my courses two years ago." Directing his gaze mostly at Rin, he added, "So just to be practical, I'd appreciate it if you called me "Teacher" in this class."

Seven? Well, that cleared up a couple of things. Yukio was here because he was already an Exorcist. I can get that off my chest. But, it still doesn't explain Rin. And judging from Rin's expression now, this was the last thing he was expecting as well.

"Now that the pleasantries are out of the way," Mr. Okumura said, "Is there anyone who still hasn't received a Temptaint?"

The hooded boy behind me raised his hand. Mousy Girl tentatively raised a hand. The final person to comply with the question was a guy sitting on the other end of class. He had a rough exterior as well as a small goatee on his chin. His expression seemed to be permanently stuck on stern and downright scary. His hair was dark brown except for the blond streak that ran down the middle and he had multiple piercings in his ears. Something about him just told me that the two of us were not going to get along.

As Yukio looked around the room at the three hands, he nodded and continued, "In that case, we'll start with the Temptaint Ritual." He opened his briefcase and took out a small vial. "The fact is normally this class isn't used and it's now a den of goblins – a certain type of demon."

Mousy Girl stuttered out, "Oh, is this place safe?"

Yukio smiled. "Perfectly safe. Goblins are a low-level type of demon, only capable of mere mischief so they're perfect for ritual use."

All of a sudden, Rin shot out of his seat. "H-Hey Yukio!"

Yukio's smile dropped and looked down at the contents of his briefcase. "Class is in session. Please sit down."

He goes on as if nothing had happened, explaining that rotten animal blood was sure to attract more goblins. Rin interrupted again but Yukio chose to ignore him as he moved on with the lesson.

Rin had had enough. Jumping from his chair and sliding around his desk, he walked up to Yukio and in an angered voice yelled, "Hold up, I said! Yukio! Come on! Talk to me!"

Yukio was expressionless. "About what?" His tone was clipped and abrupt.

Rin wasn't taking any crap. "Don't play dumb with me!"

The rest of the class was looking on in surprise except for Mr. Unapproachable, whose scowl only deepened.

Yukio sighed. "I see that I have no choice." Turning his words to the rest of us, he politely directed, "Class, as I need to discuss something with Rin Okumura, I must ask you to wait in the hall."

Mr. Unapproachable snorted. "Jeez! That guy is a pain." _Oh, yeah like you're any better._ If I had a backbone, I probably would have said it out loud but there's no need to be making enemies on my first day so I bit my tongue and got up without complaint. As I closed the door, the last glimpse that I caught of the two brothers was Rin in Yukio's face, growling as if he were just about to throttle him.

* * *

After the hallway intermission, we returned to see the room in disarray. Yukio was at his desk, eager to get on with the ritual. And Rin was leaning against one the tables as if he had challenged Yukio to a brawl and had won. Who knows, maybe he had.

After the Cram school classes, I was sent off to look for my dorm. As I searched the campus, I came across Rin, who, again, was too shocked to say a word to me. I felt like saying so many things to him but I didn't know how. After a moment of the two of us looking hesitant, I turned on my heel and walked away.

"Wait, Arianne!" I stopped at the sound of Rin's voice and took a deep breath before turning back.

He stood there, staring intently at me. I squirmed under his gaze, looking away when his eyes sought mine out. Finally, he looked away. "What happened to you that night? After you were knocked out."

I knew exactly what he was talking about and told him everything. "My u-… guardian Alastair carried me home." I explained in greater detail but when I got to the part about my family legacy, I glossed over it, deciding it was better left unknown. "So, basically, the reason I was avoiding you all this time is because…" I trailed off as the tears came to my eyes. I tried again and maintained a firm composure. "I was avoiding you because I believe that it was my spiritual energy that led the ghouls to you. To your father. I'm sorry." I said, my tears threatening to spill over.

Rin looked at me, his face suddenly unreadable. I couldn't stand it anymore. I made as to leave but Rin grabbed my arm in his grip and pulled me back. "This is my fault, Arianne, not yours. Don't every let anyone tell you any different. You aren't to blame for my problems and my mistakes. So quit it with the crying. It's making me uncomfortable."

I rubbed away my tears and dried my eyes. I gave him an amused glance. "So, demons can storm your house but the only thing that makes you uncomfortable is a girl crying in front of you. Can we say, awkward?"

"I'm awkward?" Rin was appalled. "I'm surprised you had the nerve to say that, Ms. All of my Friends are Animals." It was a jab but it seemed quite playful in contrast to what I was used to. So I played along.

"Well, believe it or not, most animals are better at being friendly than humans are. I respect them because of it." I looked thoughtfully at Rin's physique. "However," I said getting closer and peering into his face. Finally, in a grand gesture, I pulled at one of his ears. "I definitely don't remember these being so pointy. You're like an elf out of a fantasy game." An elf rockin' some amazing animalistic features.

Rin slapped my hands away. "Knock it off, that hurts!"

I chuckled. Rin got mad at me for laughing but it was too funny. It was the same way Sirchade had acted before I figured out what he really was. In a way, Rin seemed more animal than human. For most people, that was an insult. But coming from me, that's a pretty big compliment. There were some bumpy spots in our friendship but I think this was a sign that Rin and I would get over them. And for now, that's all I can really ask.

* * *

"Get out of bed, you lazy bum!" Sirchade's annoyed voice mewed that next morning. After making up with Rin, I had found my dorm room and went straight to sleep. Sirchade was being his usual know-it-all self and I was trying to remember my passion for animals so that I wouldn't do something I would regret (like say, strangle him, for example).

"Ugh… five more minutes…" I mumbled, desperate for a little bit more shut-eye.

"No, I forbid it. It may be a weekend and technically your day off, but we have yet to get started on your training." Sirchade said.

"No offense, Sirchade, but any training I need to become an Exorcist, I can receive during class times." I deigned to sit up this time and look the cat demon in the eye.

Sirchade sighed. "Well, no offense to you, but your Exorcist Training is the last thing on my mind. For now, you must learn the names and abilities of the other demons in your possession as well as the trials you must face under my tutelage."

I shook my head to clear away the sleepiness. Seems like I've got two choices: Either I go back to sleep and wait for a day when I'm not physically and mentally tired or I take my chances and learn what being a Guardian of the Worlds is all about. With the first choice, I get my rest and rejuvenation. Still, the second choice seemed like "big picture" stuff and as much as I wanted to become an Exorcist, it might be best to at least have some extra training before I officially start.

I sighed. "Give me five minutes."

* * *

"You're late." Sirchade's tone was clipped.

"How in the world am I late? I said to give me five minutes." I was exasperated with this cat and we hadn't even done anything yet.

"When you say five minutes, I expect five minutes. Not five minutes and ten seconds." Sirchade's voice was stern. He wasn't taking any nonsense. But, then again, neither was I.

"That's ridiculous!" I grumbled. "Besides, time shouldn't mean so much to you, should it? What do you even do during the day that's so important?"

Sirchade huffed. "I... am a cat; that's all you need to know. Now act accordingly and follow me; we're wasting time as it is." He padded away and I had to bite my tongue to keep from spitting out my next insult. _He's so stingy._

Hey, no one said I couldn't say it in my head.

* * *

"Now the first thing you need to know is that to complete the quest your ancestor has set for you, you must tame five demons." Sirchade looked out at the school grounds, sparing me a glance only once. "Because Laurie was your sister, she was therefore, part of the same generation and all of the demons she managed to tame are now yours."

I listened on in rapt attention. Once he got to the explanation, it was a little bit more interesting and I found myself getting even more invested in the predicament I found myself in. Still, it was something I had to learn. Might as well start now. "Alright, how many demons did she collect?"

"Four."

"Four?" I was sort of surprised. Laurie had been so close to completing this on her own. But in the end, she only made it to four, a fact I found unsettling. "Hmm… well okay. I already have an idea about what you can do. But what about the rest of them? What powers do they possess?"

Sirchade licked his paw for a moment as he considered how to answer this. Then, he replied, "Let us start with Haristum: Laurie's second demon. Haristum is a medium-level demon with strong power over pyrotechnics. Whether it be defending against flames or projecting them, if there is a flame nearby, chances are he can control it."

I nodded, keeping my awe brief. I had a feeling I would hear a lot of awe-inspiring things before he was done. "Next, there is Verrine, the only she-demon Laurie was able to capture as well as her third demon. Verrine's power comes from all the knowledge of others and yourself combining to give you strength, courage, and the motivation to achieve all things. Because of this, you could say that Verrine makes it easier for one to make choices."

_Good choices or bad choices?_ I guessed only time would tell. He explained the final one in great detail. "The final demon that Laurie was able to tame before her death is Sustugriel. A high-level demon, he is a wandering fox spirit who has the ability to bring order to all familiar by the side of his master. Plus, it is through his strengths that you will in time come to learn powerful magical spells."

"Hold on, I can use magic?" This was new.

Sirchade shook his head. "You misunderstand. Laurie tamed these demons and earned their trust. The same cannot be said of you. Because they are already tamed, that part has been taken care of. But if you wish to use your familiar's powers in battle, you must first prove yourself worthy of them."

"And how do I do that?"

"How?" Sirchade purred. The 'w' rolled off his tongue and he seemed highly amused. "How you earn their trust will have to something you ask them the moment you meet. For now, you must focus on summoning them. The trust comes later."

"Um… okay." I had changed into a training top and sweat pants. I had already known that my training today would have something to do with some type of athletics. At least, now I knew what. "Which one should I call?"

Sirchade answered, "When all else fails, follow the chronological order and go from there."

I opened my mouth to ask but Sirchade cut me off with a swipe of his tail. "Remember how you called out my name and Sacred Spell despite not knowing what they were? The same applies here. Just say whatever comes to mind. Chances are you'll be right. And if not, that's why we're here. Training."

I sighed and got into position. When I was sure I was ready, I began to rack my brains, trying to figure out the right words. Threading the pieces together shouldn't be hard. I was a Tamer. I had known the words for Sirchade. I should be able to figure this one out as well. But how to start… a phrase came to me in my head and I went from there.

"Ancient demon…" I trailed off and started again, saying what sounded right. "Ancient demon… of the lava pits, come to me in my time of need… and lend me your power." I stopped there, not wanting to call Haristum forward just yet. Turning to Sirchade for confirmation, I was relieved when he nodded. I had seen it right, despite not even knowing the words a minute ago. Now, I just needed to call him to my side. And so I began training.

* * *

Juggling the life of a regular schoolgirl, an Exorcist-in-training, and a Guardian of the Worlds was… hell (and I mean that in every possible respect of the word). As soon as I got up each morning, I got my breakfast and went to regular classes. After the normal school day was over, cram school began and went on well into the night. Once we were dismissed from cram school, Sirchade would come to me and I would follow him to training. For now, he had restricted me to memorizing the Summoning chants. But today was different. Or should I say tonight? Because Sirchade wasn't sure how much time I'd get before my destiny reared its ugly head, he decided it was time for my first summoning.

"To summon Haristum, it will not only take an abundance of spiritual energy, it will also require a few drops of blood deposited on this summoning circle." Sirchade gestured to the summoning circle in the middle of the clearing. His tail was wrapped around the handle of a blade and sometime later, I would have to ask how he even got his paws on it.

Thoughtfully looking over the circle, I asked, "What about when I summoned you that first time? I never needed a circle then."

Sirchade countered by saying, "Technically, you hadn't summoned me. I was already there. But I will concede that you don't really need a summoning circle to summon your tamed demons. Once you reach a certain level, you will be able to summon demons through sheer force of will. But, because you are nowhere near that level, we must use the mundane technique other Tamers are used to. Now…" he held the blade out to me and took it.

Pricking my pinkie finger, I ignored the pain and let a few drops fall unto the circle. Remembering the words I had committed to heart, I began to chant, _"Ancient demon of the lava pits, come to me in my time of need and lend me your power! Show yourself, Haristum!"_

I was expecting nothing. And if not nothing, maybe a spark or a shining light. The summoning circle bursting into flames? That was something I wasn't prepared for.

As the final words had left my lips, a spiral of flames had risen up from out of nowhere and devoured the circle. Snatching my hand back from over it, I watched as the flames grew higher becoming a flame cyclone. It whirled dangerously close to me and I stepped back, suddenly afraid. As soon as I had, the flames dispersed and the circle faded away until nothing was left.

Out of the corner of my eyes, Sirchade was eyeing me. I took a deep breath. "What?"

Sirchade yawned. He licked his paw once before padding away. "Go to bed, Arianne. We'll pick this up later."

I was bewildered. "H-Hold on! We only just started and now you want to call it quits?"

Sirchade padded to a stop before turning to narrow his blue eyes at me. "I will be blunt: This is the first time I have seen a complete novice almost summon a demon on their first try. You may not believe that there is anything wrong with it. But I know better. My training regiment won't test you the way I have it now. So, until I have it right, you are dismissed from all of my classes."

I was thoroughly confused but then he added, "However, because you have little to no training, you are still in some danger. As long as demons can still sense your spiritual presence, they will always come after you. And so I have a present to give you…"

Sirchade closed his eyes and a bright light descended upon the clearing. Something seemed to have appeared in my hand but it was still too bright to make it out. When the light had faded, I finally got a good look at the item in my hand. It was a silver cross necklace. Encrusted with diamonds and a ruby on each end, it was quite the beautiful accessory.

Sirchade interrupted my thoughts. "Though you think that this is an accessory alone, look closer. The cross is one of the sacred symbols of God. It can mean many things but in this case, it offers divine protection to whoever wears it. Plus, if you were to come across a situation where divine protection isn't enough or you wish to protect someone else, all you need to do is stab this in the ground at their feet and it will act as a shield propelling all demonic presences away. Or at least, most."

I placed the cross around my neck and a pleasant feeling descended upon me. It felt like I was receiving a pat on the back from an ocean of feathers.

Sirchade had noticed my relaxed expression and rushed to amend his statement. "Be warned: Because the cross holds so much spiritual energy, it will only be useful enough for one charge. Meaning if you use it to protect someone else, it will drastically drain the energy and soon it won't have enough energy to protect even you. So remember, if you wish to protect someone else, you will only get one chance. After that, the charm is useless."

Sirchade slinked away until his form was swallowed by the shadows and I was alone.

* * *

**A/N: And that ends this chapter. Next, The Boy from the Cursed Temple. Something I have been looking forward to for quite some time. You have just been introduced to the demons that Arianne must gain the trust of. FYI, for Haristum and Verrine, their names sound exactly as they are spelled. But the final demon... the way you pronounce his name is (Sa-stu-Gri-EL). Not too confusing really just takes some time to get used to. Please review, favorite, and follow. And so,**

**ArthurDragonpen signing off!**

**P.S: I almost forgot. I would appreciate it if some of you could give me a couple of ideas involving the final demon because I haven't yet thought about it and I'll need him if I want to complete this fanfic. Please and thank you!**


	5. Chapter 5:The Boy from the Cursed Temple

**Chapter 5: The Boy from the Cursed Temple**

**Disclaimer: ArthurDragonpen does not own Blue Exorcist.**

**A/N: I'll keep this short and brief. Due to my love of this episode, it took me a little bit longer to write it all down. But, I'm finished now. So, please enjoy!**

* * *

Sirchade was disappearing more and more often these days. I've tried practicing my summons on my own but each and every time; Haristum's flames lash out at me, as if he's trying to harm me. I'm not sure how to go about it. It was another couple of days before we were introduced to another female student.

The girl had straight, shoulder length blonde hair, green eyes, and fair skin. She wore brightly colored kimonos with equally colorful kimono coats and traditional Japanese sandals. Mr. Okumura stood at the front and introduced her to the rest of the class. "This is your new classmate, Shiemi Moriyama."

Shiemi bowed her head and addressed everyone formally. "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

Taking the seat next to Rin, I started to wonder if they knew each other. Well, actually given how there were enough seats for her to sit anywhere else, I'd be a fool to believe that they didn't know each other. I shook myself from my thoughts and went back to my biggest problem of the moment: Sirchade. Just where did that annoying fur ball get to anyway?

After cram school, I headed to the summoning clearing behind my dorm. After my botched attempt at summoning Haristum had gone wrong the first time, Sirchade had decided to change up my learning regiment. Of course he hadn't mentioned that he would be gone for days on end, leaving me to wonder where he had gone off to. I didn't dwell on it though. I trusted him enough to let him go do his own thing. And while he was doing what he needed to, I would train as hard as I could until I knew that I could summon him without a shadow of a doubt.

I knelt in the dirt and began to trace the circle as Sirchade had once instructed me. When I had finished, I spoke Haristum's summoning words as I had done for the past few days and just like those last few days, flames engulfed the circle pushing me back off of my feet and into the dark. Like a flickering light bulb, the flames dissipated and I was left in a dark clearing with clods of dirt in my hair, on my face and hands, and covering my clothes.

Gritting my teeth, I got to my feet and examined the circle. It had been wiped clean by the flames and though I was thoroughly annoyed, I refused to give up on this. I was going to summon this demon and earn its trust even if it took all night.

Suffice it to say, it did take all night and even after showing my resolve, I didn't make any leeway. Once I realized that I had slept outside all night, I was filthy from head to toe and I only had forty-five minutes to get to class, I took a hasty shower and hardly bothered with my hair, going with the frizzy look and adding in a ponytail. I freshened up as best as I could and left in a run. If I kept having days like this, there would be no way in hell that I could survive all of these classes, become an Exorcist, and save the world.

* * *

"Sorcery mainly comes into effect through a contract with Satan, and the study of its methods and rules have been complied in 'grimoires'." I was doing my best to keep up with the teacher and his somewhat fast pace. I was equipped with pencil in hand and was desperately trying to write it all down.

"Grimoires have a long history with William, the Bishop of Auvergne publishing a pamphlet on demonology as early as the beginning of the 13th century."

I jotted down those notes quickly. I can do this. It's easy to take notes. Just don't fall asleep and you'll be fine.

_Snore! _It wasn't a loud sound but I was drawn to it regardless. It was only Rin as always but this time instead of daydreaming as he had been doing earlier on, now it was just sleeping. I really wondered sometimes. I was tired because of all the things that I had to do. Why the heck was he sleeping with hardly anything on his plate?

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Mr. Unapproachable also staring at Rin. Well, it would be more appropriate to say that he was glaring with a vengeance. I frowned and in that moment, he locked eyes with me and I turned away quickly and went back to my notes. _I wasn't being cowardly,_ I told myself, _I'm just trying to avoid a confrontation._

It didn't get much better in Anti-Demon Pharmaceuticals class. We were just getting back our scores from the previous quiz.

"Hey, why are you so sparkly?" I turned my attention to the question Rin asked Shiemi. They may have been having a private conversation and I would have let them have their space. But it was hard to be respectful when I was only a row behind them and therefore part of the conversation as well.

"Because I know I did well!" Shiemi replied back. The smile on her face was contagious and I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling with her.

Rin understood almost immediately, which was a first. "Oh, right. Your family are pharmacists, right?"

She nodded. "Specializing in exorcist-related products. So you could say it's my strong suit…"

"Miss Moriyama." Mr. Okumura called her up and she went to retrieve her paper. Despite myself, I began to smile wistfully. At least she knows what she's good at. Me, I still have a long way to go.

As she talked with Mr. Okumura, the smile melted off her face to be replaced with a frown and disappointment. Looks like I spoke too soon. Mr. Okumura handed Shiemi her paper and went to the next one. "Miss Tekuto."

I got up and made my way to the front of the class. When we stood face-to-face, Mr. Okumura said, "You've done well but that doesn't mean you can't do better. You have much room for improvement." He handed me a paper with the number 75 on the top. Not the best but just enough to pass.

As I made my way back to the desk, Rin was called up. From the body language that I could read and the grade sticking out for all to see, Rin did a worse job than Shiemi.

"Mr. Suguro."

Mr. Unapproachable, or rather Mr. Suguro, stood and went to retrieve his paper. On the way to the front of the class, he whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, "I couldn't get a 2 even if I tried!"

_Shit! You're about to make things horrible for all of us._ I glared at Suguro, hoping he'd get the message. But, he ignored me completely. "It's because you're fooling around with that girl. You make me sick."

I looked to Shiemi and then back at Suguro. "Hold on, which girl?" I mumbled under my breath. I already knew that I hung out with Rin during school hours and I knew that Shiemi spent her time with Rin when cram school started. So was this guy talking about me, Shiemi, or both of us?

Rin, of course, was against that insult and was now on the warpath, which I had hoped we could avoid. "What did you say, you rooster-head? You're the one who's fooling around!"

Mr. Okumura, tired of his brother's backtalk, replied, "Excellent work, Mr. Suguro!"

And Suguro took that as an opportunity to show everyone his results. My jaw dropped in awe. A 98. That basically means that he only got one wrong.

Rin must have been thinking along the same lines when he shouted, "A 98? How could a guy like you get a 98?"

Suguro smirk left his face to be replaced with his usual dead-set scowl. "Listen, I came to this cram school 'cause I'm serious about earning my exorcist qualification! Everyone else here is studying hard to become exorcists!" Shiemi stiffened slightly and I noted her depressed expression. I frowned in anger. Just who the hell did this guy think he was?

"Someone clueless like you… should just get lost!"

Rin had _had_ enough of this one-sided argument and started to give his two-cents on the matter. "Who do you think you are, rooster-head? You may not believe it, but I'm trying to become an exorcist, too!"

Suguro and Rin were nose-to-nose now. "Seriously? But you're always dozing off in class!"

The two guys who always accompany him walked up to stop the fight. "Calm down, Bon! We're in class!"

In turn with them doing their part, I tried to do the same with Rin, even if I did want to punch that bastard. "Come on, Rin, he's not worth it."

Mr. Okumura helped me pull Rin back while the other two pulled Suguro back. Unfortunately, he wasn't yet finished. "I've never seen you actually pay attention to any classes!"

"I'm an in-the-field type of guy! It's hard for me to be chained to a desk memorizing stuff!" Rin snapped in reply.

We were at a standstill and I didn't know how long I would be able to keep the two apart.

"Mr. Suguro, you're absolutely right. Please tell him off some more."

At those words, Rin wrenched his arms from our shoulder restraints and he turned to his brother in rage. "Yukio? Whose side are you on anyway?"

Yukio had a rather pointed look on his face when he answered. "Let's see, who's do you think?"

Ring! Ring! ... Ring! Ring!

And with that, class was dismissed.

* * *

"What's up with that guy? So he's smart?" Rin asked Yukio.

Because I hadn't anything else to do, I decided to tag along with Rin, Yukio and Shiemi. Right now, we were in the middle of break and Yukio had agreed to answer all the questions that Rin asked. At this point, I was listening in rapt attention when Yukio replied. "Ryuji Suguro? He's quite the prodigy. He's attending this school on a scholarship, same as me."

Yukio crossed his arms. "From what I hear, he's the heir to an honorable and historic temple in Kyoto."

Rin started to sulk. "So he is a little rich kid." I had to stifle a laugh at his expression and waved him away when asked if I was alright.

Yukio smiled up at the two of us. "He's an exceptional student, an accomplished athlete, and he's extremely attentive during class."

I thought about it for a moment before coming to a conclusion that I directed at Rin. "In other words, he's your complete opposite."

Rin snarled. "Shut up!"

Yukio's smile widened even more. "You should follow his example; maybe clone his mind, if possible."

"Clone his mind? That's going a little too far…" Rin muttered in a voice that only I heard.

Yukio turned to Shiemi to ask her a question. "Shiemi, are you getting used to school?"

Shiemi thought about it before answering. "Uh… Not at all yet…"

Yukio gave her a reassuring smile. "Well, I'd say that you look a lot more positive than you did before. You're almost a different person. Try not to get anxious… just do your best."

Shiemi nodded, expressing her thanks. "Thank you, Yuki!"

They smiled at one another for another second or two before Yukio excused himself and went to go teach his next class. As an afterthought, he added, "Don't be late for your P.E. class, you three!"

Then, he was gone and it was just the three of us. Rin and the two girls he 'fools around' with. What should I take that to even mean? I had the feeling that despite whatever misunderstanding there was, that probably wasn't a topic suitable for idle conversation.

"So, which class are you in again?" Rin asked Shiemi. She stared up at him blankly. He amended the statement. "Not cram school, I mean high school."

Shiemi smiled sadly. "I only asked to get into the cram school."

Rin nodded. "Then what about high school?"

Shiemi seemed to hunch her shoulders more. "Well, I'm too shy for that… I barely went to my classes in junior high."

I smiled warmly. "Well, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who skipped nearly every day. I was so sure that everyone was ahead of me." Trying to ease the tension in her shoulders, I'm delighted when she visibly relaxes. We smile at each other for a moment. But then she frowns again and I wonder what I did wrong.

"I don't really belong at the cram school, do I?"

Rin and I looked at one another and then I regarded Shiemi warily. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, my goal isn't really to become an exorcist… and I'm not smart like Suguro."

Rin frowned as he thought about it. "Well, sure having a brain like that doesn't hurt. But I think the world's better off being filled with different types of people."

"Rin, Arianne?" Shiemi had turned to us. "Do you have any friends?"

I stuttered a bit as I tried to imagine how she happened upon this train of thought. "W-Why are you asking?"

Shiemi got up and closed the distance between us. Taking Rin's hand, which I'm sure Rin was happy about, she muttered, "Well… you see…"

"Well, well! Look at the two of you making out in broad daylight. And you've even got a girl on the side!"

"The HELL we are, damnit!" Rin exploded, turning to face him. I had also stood up. "And what did you just call me?"

Again, he ignored me, which was starting to piss me off. Instead, he kept his eyes level with Rin. "So, which one is your woman? Don't tell me you're dating them both?"

_Dating… Oh God, no!_

Rin growled. "Listen, I told you – you have the wrong idea about us."

Suguro was smirking. "Then what are you? Just friends? Huh?"

Rin lowered his voice, as if in embarrassment. "They're not… my friends."

_Um… Pointy-eared guy with a sword say what?_

Suguro wasn't letting it go. "Huh? I get it now."

Rin was beyond angry. "Like you don't always have your crew hanging around you!" The smirk slipped off Suguro's face, leaving him slightly stunned. But Rin was on a roll now. "Sticking with your own kind… how lame is that?"

We stood in silence for a second until the pink-haired guy burst out laughing. Suguro confronted him. "What are you laughing about, Shima?"

Shima turned towards Suguro, a knowing look on his face. "Well, I was thinking that what he said was true."

Suguro's face was turning all shades of red. "What's the big idea, agreeing with him?"

Rin and Suguro began to have a stare-off and the rest of us decided to stand off to the side and watch from afar.

"When you think about it, they're kind of the same type, aren't they?" Shima commented.

The bald kid also gave us a comment. "Is it a matter of like repels like?"

I frowned. "I don't know. Rin and I are very close when it comes to personality but those two are just on a whole different level."

Looking away from the fight, I turned to the trees and was stunned to see a pair of blue eyes looking out at me. _Sirchade?_

The eyes disappeared so he could have been gone but I needed to know for sure. I turned to Shiemi. "I'm sorry, I need to check something. I'll be right back."

Shiemi was shocked. "But what about P.E? Yuki told us not to be late for class."

"I'll come back in time. Don't worry about it. I just need to do something quickly."

I sprinted away out of the square and into the shadows. _This better not be some wild goose chase, you damn cat._

Sprinting through undergrowth, making my way through the trees, untangling myself from the brambles; I was going to maim that cat once I got my hands on him. Huh… now that I thought about it, this was the first time I wanted an animal dead and I was confused how I could let my annoyance get this far. Though granted, Sirchade wasn't exactly a cat, which made up for it.

After maybe two minutes of weaving my way through the trees, I glimpsed a light up ahead and made my way towards it. It further shocked me when I ran smack-dab into the fountain. The same fountain that Rin, Shiemi, and I were sitting on before he got into that fight with Ryuji. And of course, the cat was nowhere in sight. Was annoying me and leading me in circles part of his job description? If so, he was doing a pretty good job. Planting myself on the fountain, I sighed and looked up at the sky.

Unconsciously, I fingered the silver cross pendant around my neck, a gift from Sirchade. He told me to use it whenever I found myself in danger but to be careful of its use for I could only use it once. Did he give this to me so I could protect myself while he was gone? Or was there a different reason? A method to the madness, so to speak. I was still trying to figure it out and I hate to say that I hadn't gotten too far.

I wanted to lay there for another hour but technically, I was already late for my P.E class. As I ran, I was beginning to wonder how much chewing-out I would get once I got there.

* * *

Mr. Tsubaki really knew how to give a stern lecture. He scolded me on my lateness as well as told me that my punishment would be severe. At one point in time, I looked away to see Shiemi and Izumo (whose name I learned the moment I walked in) running from the Leaper. Shiemi tripped and the Leaper lunged for her.

"Shiemi!" Without a second thought, I wrenched my protection pendant from my neck and prepared to throw it but there was no need. Mr. Tsubaki pulled on one of his many levers and the Leaper was yanked back. Shiemi was safe. Mr. Tsubaki sighed and turned to me. "We'll discuss this more later. Now if you please…" He gestured off towards the other pages and I made my way towards them. Once I was in five feet though, Rin grabbed me and we walked off to the side to talk.

"Did you get in trouble?" He asked. I nodded.

"He told me that I was due for a punishment. But, he never exactly mentioned what it was." My eyes strayed to his shirt and stared at the dirt. Then, I realized he was just about covered from head to toe. But why only on his front?

"Do I even want to know why you're so dirty?"

Rin was about to answer but I held up a hand to silence him. "Although, now that I think about it, it's obvious what happened to you. Starts with Ryuji and ends with Suguro."

Rin snorted, which confirmed my suspicions. "He's really got it out for you huh?"

"Seems that way." He muttered. I ruffled his hair and made my way to the ledge to look down at the Leapers. From what I already knew, they were demons that possessed the bodies of frogs and they were carnivorous and more or less bloodthirsty. But, I guess that was no more so than with Suguro over there. I sighed, fingering the pendant in my hand. It looks like I'm going to have to get this thing fixed since I broke the chain.

"Listen up! The rest of this class will be a study hall!" I whipped my head around to stare at Mr. Tsubaki in shock. _What the…?_

Everyone else was equally shocked. Mr. Tsubaki continued explaining. "Normally, the Leaper is a docile demon but they have the annoying habit of reading people's emotions and attacking. Until I get back, you are not to go down to the field, and you are to stay out of range of the Leaper's chains! Got it! All right, that's it for me! I'm on my way, my cute little kitty!" He ran like hell and disappeared into the shadows

The look on Suguro's face… Quietly, I took out my phone and snapped a tiny pic. Just for something to laugh at later.

Shima walked up to my left. "Did you hear that? He said "my cute little kitty."

Izumo rolled her eyes. "And study hall for a P.E. class?"

Paku was thoughtful on the situation. "Is that even allowed?"

I sighed. "It is now, I guess."

Suguro huffed, his usual scowl in place and his arms crossed over his chest. "What the heck? And he calls himself a teacher? I thought that True Cross Academy was a sacred place of learning where only the highly-motivated gathered." He turned his head to glance at Rin and me. "And the students aren't much better, either!"

Okay, I might not have been the smartest person but it sounded like he just insulted me, which if he kept it in his mind, it would have been fine. But, I'll be damned if I let him diss me without any consequences.

"And what exactly does that mean, you hoodlum?" I growled. Rin was right behind me. "You need to shut the hell up! How do you know we're not motivated?"

"I can tell by the way you act in class!" Suguro was acknowledging both of our presences but it seemed like the brunt of the argument was aimed at Rin.

Shima frowned. "Bon, you're being immature."

Konekomaru begged him to reconsider. "Please stop!"

Suguro turned to his lackeys. "Back off, both of you! Just shut up! If you're telling me that the two of you are motivated, then why don't you prove it?"

I was confused. "Prove it? How?"

Suguro pointed at the Leaper. "With that."

If you can touch it and return without getting attacked, you win! A Leaper will look into your eyes, and try to read your emotions. Fear, anger, grief, jealousy… whatever it sees, you're dead if you waver and look away. Because that's when it'll attack. If you're trying to become a true exorcist, you wouldn't lose control of your emotions over a scrub like that. If the two of you can make it back here in one piece, I'll be glad to acknowledge that you're serious about this. And of course I'll give it a shot too. But, naturally, I'll win!"

"So, what's it gonna be?"

I thought about it for a while. A bit over the top and definitely unorthodox but a clear easy way to figure out if someone was motivated or not. I smiled. Maybe I could test my Tamer ability with this little work-out. With that decided, I consented. "Well, that sounds interesting. Count me in."

Suguro smirked and I rolled my eyes before turning to face Rin. Soon, Rin came to a decision as well. "Sounds like fun! Sure, I'll do it!"

Suguro smiled. Until… "Is that what you'd thought I'd say? Dumbass!"

Rin had rejected the offer which was, in a word, unsurprising. He continued on. "I'm not doing it! And you shouldn't either, Arianne! What if we get killed by accident?" Rin paused and that gave me a moment to think.

Technically, I had already thought of that but besides my Tamer prowess, there was another reason why I was going through with it. I had a feeling that Suguro was going to try, no matter what decisions we made. I'd only make sense to give him a little back-up.

"And besides… I have the same ambition as you. No way am I going to risk my life over something petty like this!"

Suguro was confused but then the confusion gave way to apprehension and he turned to Shima and Konekomaru. "Did you tell him?"

They held up their hands. "Well," they drawled in unison.

Suguro snarled and turned back to Rin. "Ambition, my foot! You're just spooked, that's all!"

Rin was calm when he answered. "Say whatever you want!"

Suguro's face was contorted in rage. "I'm going to do it! You just stand there and watch!" He gestured to me. "You coming?"

I nodded, ignoring Rin's befuddled expression. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Together, we slid down the side and entered the arena. Behind us, I could hear their cries of disbelief and I turned to see Rin, whose face was full of worry. I turned away to catch up with Suguro. When we were five feet away from the Leaper, he stopped and stood motionless. "I'm gonna become a real exorcist… and defeat Satan!"

There was a moment of crisp silence and I think everyone was stunned enough to truly believe him until… a peal of laughter could be heard from behind us and I whipped around to see Izumo.

She was amused, amused by Ryuji's declaration. Paku joined into the laughter, but hers was slightly teasing and not as cold. Izumo tried to breathe. "Did you hear that? He's going to defeat Satan. Seriously?"

I turned back to Ryuji, wanting to comfort him, to tell him to ignore her, but somehow I knew whatever I said would sound false even to my own ears. I was at a loss at what to do. A strange tingling down my spine brought my attention to the Leaper and I noticed the tension in its muscles. My eyes widened and I shouted, "Look out!" right as it roared, surprising Ryuji.

Pushing Ryuji back, I took my pendant and planted it into the dirt in front of me. The Leaper attacked, mouth wide and teeth sharp. A second later, he collided into a solid wall of force. I couldn't see it but I felt it feeding off of my spiritual energy and seeing as though I didn't have a lot to spare, I needed to work fast.

My muscles stiffened as I turned back to Ryuji, who was staring up at me in wonder. "Quickly," I choked out, taking gasping breaths as the barrier began to take its toll. "Get out of here. Climb the ladder and make your way to safety."

Ryuji got to his knees. "I can't leave you here."

Sweat poured down my brow and raising a hand to wipe it away felt like the equivalent of running a marathon. I was starting to tire of even moving. "Please. My barrier won't last for much longer." I chanced a look at the Leaper and was dismayed to see the tiny crack in the shield. The Leaper banged his head against it, each time making the crack bigger. If I had to guess, it had about four more times before I exhausted my energy and we both were eaten alive.

**Slam! **Make that three. I forced a glance at Ryuji. He looked as if he wanted to help but just didn't know how. But I had a suggestion. "You really want to know how to help me?"

He nodded and I demanded, "Then make your way to the ladder and get away. That's all I need you to do. So please…" I was aware that I was begging but I really didn't care. I felt too tired to care. I tuned to face my inevitable doom. "Please, Ryuji… just go."

In the silence that followed, the Leaper rammed the barrier, leaving me with little time. Two more hits and the shield would break. Then we were both done for. Behind me, I could hear him getting up, following my orders like I had hoped he would. And yet, I didn't want him to go. To leave me alone. But it was for the be-

"No."

My breath caught and I struggled to stare back at him. "What?"

He made his way to me. "You protected me even though you didn't have to. So, I'm not going to let you die on your own. I know it's not what you want. But I'm the one who got you into this mess. I need to fix it."

**Slam! **The Leaper rammed the wall again and it felt like he was attacking me personally. I cried out in pain and Ryuji grabbed my hand. He stared at the Leaper as it began its last charge before coming to a decision. Pulling me into an embrace, he turned around and rested me on the ground. I tried to move when I realized what he was about to do but my strength had been drained away. All I could do was watch as the Leaper smashed through the protection of the pendant and lunged for Ryuji's body. I let out a silent scream when all of a sudden; a body fell from the sky and took the brute force of the attack.

A dust cloud enveloped us and I tried to see through the dirt. But soon it cleared and I was able to stare in awe at the sight before me. It was Rin.

It seemed that at the last second, he had jumped into the arena and placed himself in between Ryuji and the Leaper. The Leaper attacked Rin and would have consumed him but for some reason, it saw something in Rin that convinced it to let him go. I staggered to my feet as Rin pet the Leaper. Then in a low voice, he asked, "What do you think you're doing? Are you insane?"

For a moment, I thought that he was talking to me. But, then Rin turned to Ryuji and angrily declared, "Listen up! Here's the deal! I'm the one who's going to defeat Satan. So stay out of my way!"

Ryuji was confused but then that confusion gave way to anger and he began to berate Rin. "You're insane. Man, you could have gotten killed. And don't copy my ambition!"

Rin shrugged his square shoulders. "Huh? I didn't copy you. It was mine first."

"No, it wasn't. I decided I was going to do it before you did."

"When? When did you decide? What year, what month, what day? Hour, minute, second? How many times did the planet spin that day?"

"What are you, a kid?" Ryuji snarled.

"Look who's talking," Rin snapped back.

Meanwhile because they didn't seem to care that I was still trying to keep my footing, I looked on in a cold, distant way. Unfortunately, when the argument got rather silly, I realized that I couldn't keep that expression and started to giggle. It was soft at first but then it grew in strength, catching the attention of both Rin and Ryuji and cutting off their argument as they stared. Personally, I didn't care. Both Ryuji and I survived and now Rin and Ryuji were having a petty argument as if nothing had even happened, which was the best I could hope for at this point. Plus…

Despite not being able to pinpoint his location, I could feel a pair of blue eyes on the back of my neck so it was safe to say my summoning lessons would continue. Dropping to my knees, I reclaimed the pendant. Though it was useless now, it was still mine. I sighed. Hopefully, when Mr. Tsubaki returned, he'd realize that almost losing my life at the hands of a Leaper was punishment enough.

* * *

Coming to class early that next afternoon, I was surprised to find Rin, Shiemi, and Yukio already there. On the desk in front of Rin was a stack of books and he held one of those books in his hands. I walked up to them, took in the sight of all the books and turned to Yukio. "So, am I right in believing that this is a sign of the apocalypse?"

Rin growled out a reply. "How come both you and Yukio believe the world's going to end because I decide to try for once?"

I cross my arms thoughtfully. "You do realize that if I think about that sentence long enough, I could give you plenty of answers, right?"

Rin grumbled and looked back down at his book. Half a second later, he groaned. "This damn hair keeps getting in my eyes!"

Footsteps sound at my left and I turn to look at the new arrival. Ryuji enters the room and walks into the conversation. Rin is anything but thrilled. Frowning, he said, "Look who it is. What, you got some jabs for me, too?"

Ryuji looks like he's thinking over what he's about to say and when he finally does speak, I hold my breath. "Didn't get a chance to tell you yesterday…" He pauses and I cringe inwardly. "Anyway, thanks."

Rin is bewildered. Meanwhile, I relax, happy that it's nothing too serious. _He's actually apologizing? God, I'm in the presence of a miracle._

Ryuji takes it a step further and gifts Rin with a hair curler. "I use this to keep my hair up when I study at night. You can borrow it." Rin takes the item and looks at it. Then with his usual childlike flair, he mumbles loud enough for all of us to hear, "This is creepy, like bad luck creepy."

Ryuji didn't take it well. "What's that supposed to mean? I was just trying to be nice, you weasel!"

Ryuji's pride aside, I decided I deserved something as well. And I knew the perfect thing. Tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention, I pulled him to the side and declared, "Seeing as though Rin wasn't the only one who saved your life, I will be collecting my compensation as well.

He began to protest but I cut him off with a stern look. "You nearly got me killed. This is the least you can do."

When faced with fact, Ryuji slumped down as if I had trapped him in a corner with nowhere to run. He mumbled, "Alright, what's your price?"

I lightly punched his shoulder. "Oh c'mon, it's not like I'm going to bully you to do my homework for me. Quite the opposite, actually. I want you to help me study."

Ryuji looked at me in alarm and I gazed back intently. I was serious about this. Finally, he just asked, "Why?"

I sighed. "Do I really need to spell it out?" I already knew I did and launched into what I had learned. "Mr. Okumura would be a good teacher. Heck, he's already our teacher now. But, he's also an Exorcist; he has enough on his plate as it is. Izumo is really smart but her attitude doesn't make her teacher material. Ryuji, out of everyone, you're the smartest in the class, you're good at keeping yourself relatively calm (_not true at all_) and you have the makings of a great teacher. Need I explain more?"

I knew I was laying the praise on pretty thick but, by the way Ryuji was blushing, I could tell I was getting to him. Finally, he tried to recompose his features and tried for his legendary scowl, which I saw through in a second. "My teaching regiment is strict. If you can't comply with my times and my rules, I'll officially declare that you're done and you need to find another tutor."

I nodded, glad that he had agreed. I was so glad; I actually squealed and hugged him. "You won't regret this, Ryu—I mean, Mr. Suguro! I'll be the greatest student ever!" My smile must have been infectious because it seemed as though he was trying to fight one of his own.

And with that, my life as an Exorcist-in-training truly began.

* * *

**A/N: That chapter was fun. Arianne is just beginning her Exorcist journey and give or take a few more days, she'll soon understand how to summon Haristum, which is another good thing. Plus, we're well on the way to Chapter 6, where she will show off her skills as a Tamer, earning a rivalry with Izumo, mostly because she can see through Izumo's real attitude and gaining a freindship with Shiemi. Plus, she's become Ryuji's student, so hilarity and chaos will ensue. Just hope you're ready for it. Anyway... that's all for now. Please review, favorite, and follow if you like what you see.**

**ArthurDragonpen, signing off!**


	6. Chapter 6: A Demon? Or Not?

**Chapter 6: A Demon? Or Not?**

**Disclaimer: ArthurDragonpen does not own Blue Exorcist**

**A/N: What goes on, people? I will be frank. Originally, I had planned to skip episode six because it was a filler episode. But, then inspiration struck and I got a chapter idea that was so bizarre, even I was shocked and believe it or not, I'm not too sure where I'm going with it. I know how it'll end but I'm not so sure about those events in the middle. Still, it has much to do with the current story and I hope you enjoy the introduction of a new major character. Hope you love this next chapter!**

* * *

My first study session with Ryuji was just around the corner and I honestly couldn't wait. Does that make me weird? The girl, already swamped with regular work, cram school homework, and Guardian duties, is excited to go and study? With Ryuji of all people? Should it be a problem? I didn't know; so far, I was just relieved that I had survived thus far. From what my uncle had told me—so long ago – an infinite amount of demons would be after me until my dying day or until I completed my job as a Guardian. Besides that encounter with the Leaper a couple of days before and my more or less daily practices with Sirchade, I hadn't come into contact with that many demons. In fact, you could say that they've all avoided me.

At the sound of the final cram school bell, I put up my work and stood up. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ryuji regarding me and for some obscure reason, my cheeks flushed red. I pretended to drop my belongings and bent to grab the scattered papers so he wouldn't notice the blush. From above, I heard a sigh.

"Jeez," Ryuji muttered as he got to his knees beside me and helped. "Are you really this clumsy or do you have to work at it?"

My flustered expression seemed to fade away enough so that I was able to look him in the eyes. "I just dropped some notes. It's not that big of a problem."

Ryuji looked me in the eye intently and I had to force myself to stare right back. Finally, he shook his head and handed me the rest of my things. Getting to his feet, he replied, "Since we never established where we were going to study, we'll be starting in the library. I expect you to be there in ten minutes."

He walked off and I was left there, kneeling on the ground. Once there had been excitement that filled me like an air of happiness, ready to explode. Now, all I felt was dread. This study group was an experiment after all. What happened if he didn't want me as a student?

_Stop it._ I scolded myself. You _won't get anything done if you keep worrying. And he won't bother taking you as a student if you don't show up for your first day of studying. Now hop to it. _

Even though I knew I needed to have serious words with my subconscious about my choice of puns, I knew it was ultimately right. Worrying about the future was a problem I could solve once I actually reached it. For now, it was time to meet my new tutor.

* * *

Gesturing over to one of the tables in the middle of the room, Ryuji told me to take a seat and hastily, I sat, also taking out my textbooks as I did so.

But, he held up a hand. "Those won't be necessary. For now, I'm just looking to see how much you know."

Reluctantly, I followed his orders, placing all of my learning utensils in my bag and waiting for the lesson to start.

For the longest time, Ryuji just stared at me, making whatever walls I had set up around myself crumble to dust. I felt fully exposed as if he had searched my body and soul thoroughly to see what he was working with. I tried my hardest not to blush again as I had earlier. In this case, I wasn't sure I would be able to hide it. Finally, Ryuji asked, "How much do you know about Meisters?"

I was slightly baffled. Was that something I should have known in advance? What type of answer should I give him? The truth? But wouldn't the truth make me look like an idiot?

Apparently, Ryuji could read the emotions right off of my face. He ran a hand through his spiky hair. "Looks like I've got my work cut out for me…" he paused before saying, "Meister is essentially the most basic qualification for any aspiring Exorcist. The term meister refers to the particular combat skill or skills an Exorcist possesses. While many choose to specialize in only one area of combat, it is possible to obtain a meister in more than one category."

I nodded, partly following. "Okay, so these meisters, they have names right?"

Ryuji nodded. "There are five in all: Knight, Dragoon, Aria, Doctor, and Tamer."

Unintentionally, my eyebrows shot up at the mention of Tamer, a motion that Ryuji caught. "I assume that you've had experience with Tamers then." It wasn't a question.

"My sister was a Tamer. And I'm training to become a Tamer too. It's the only reason I've come to this school." _Well the only reason among so many others._ But the less people who knew of my true identity, the better. It looked like honesty wasn't one of the things on the agenda after all. But I had already figured out that I couldn't be truthful about everything once I started down this path. I could only reach forward any way I knew how.

Ryuji nodded. My reasoning must have made sense to him. "Do you recognize any of the other meisters on the list?"

_Not really_. Instead of saying that, I tried for a tiny fib this time. "Somewhat, I mean, I know what Doctors are. Heck, is there anybody who doesn't? And I have a pretty good idea what Knights do"

Suddenly, Ryuji was staring at me with a newfound interest that was almost intriguing. "Well as long as you have a good idea about some of them, this won't be so hard to teach. Because you haven't mentioned them, I'm guessing that you don't know what Dragoons and Aria are."

I shook my head in compliance and he began his explanation. "To put it simply, Dragoons are meisters who fight with guns."

"Is it just guns?" I asked, thinking back to how Uncle Alastair had pulled out a rifle from behind his desk. Had he been a Dragoon at an earlier time?

"Well," Ryuji mused, "it's not impossible for Dragoons to specialize in all types of long-range weapons. It's only the majority who use guns." He turned his back and paced along the carpet. "The final Meister is one known as Aria. An Aria fights by finding a Demon's "Fatal Verse" and using it effectively."

"What's a Fatal Verse?"

"Fatal Verses are the weak spots that most demons possess. By reciting Holy Scriptures from the Bible, Aria are able to kill certain demons, depending on the verse."

I was stunned. That's a pretty cool power. Thinking back to the origin story Uncle Alastair had told me, I could only assume that the four other powers were the Meisters of legend. I had a question though. "Earlier, did I hear you right when you said that we could learn more than one Meister? Does that mean that it's mandatory?"

Ryuji scratched his head. "Not necessarily. True, it's better if you have more than one skill and it is also true that the more you know, the more you'll be able to accomplish. But the Order will accept you as an Exorcist just as long as you have power in at least one of these areas. So don't overdo it and don't stress yourself out thinking about it."

I took his words to heart and visibly relaxed. The sides of Ryuji's lips turned up as if he were trying not to laugh. I actually would have enjoyed it if he had. I'd never actually heard him laugh before. It was probably a nice melody, a euphonious sound.

"Arianne? Arianne? Are you still listening? Hey!" Snapping out of my quick but obviously interruptive trance, I apologized. Ryuji's scowl was set on his face again and he muttered disapprovingly before turning on his heel. "I'm going to get us some materials to study. Be ready to study once I come back." Then, he disappeared into the stacks just as a shadow would in complete darkness.

* * *

"Look who finally deigned to show up for summoning lessons," Sirchade mewed, his voice slightly angered but his lazy position suggested otherwise.

It had been a good week after my first lesson with Ryuji and since then I hadn't had any time to practice my summoning. Feeling overworked didn't cut it. If there was a way to be physically and emotionally stressed to the breaking point, I wouldn't be surprised if I somehow found my way there in the coming weeks.

"Sorry, Sirchade, I know that I needed to practice but I also need to stay ahead of my studies and I enlisted a tutor to do so."

Sirchade's tail flicked from one side to the other and his voice gave off an air of indifference. "Yes, yes, I know all about the Suguro boy and if he were more of a distraction, I'd be upset. But…" and he did stress _but_, "the fact that he is here makes your job as Guardian all the more easier."

I frowned. "Why do you mean? How does Ryuji have anything to do with me the Guardian?"

Sirchade licked a paw briefly. "Hmm… Alastair must have felt there was a reason not to tell you everything if you do not yet know. And despite how hopelessly unaware you are, I will ignore it for the time being. Now, set up your circle."

I was going to have words with this cat… very peeved-off words but at the moment, I was too tired to argue. I set about creating the summoning circle. Sirchade mewled and walked off to the side so that he could stare at me from afar. Yeah, that was really going to help my concentration. Not like it was really a problem. If my spiritual power was as wasted as my entire being felt, I doubted I would even be able to summon a spark tonight.

Taking my stance at the edge of the circle, I tuned into my surroundings and tried to get into the right mood. I could smell the rich earth beneath my feet; feel the silky embrace of the wind and the watchful eye of the sky watching over me. Though there was no sunlight, the heat of Sirchade's body and my own seemed to swell, wrapping the clearing in a bubble of warmth.

I breathed in the toasty air and felt it gather me close in return. _"Ancient demon of the lava pits, come to me in my time of need and lend me your power! Show yourself, Haristum!"_

As usual, the flames jumped forward and a swirling vortex of heat and fire headed towards me. As always, my muscles stiffened, my expression became pained and I wanted nothing more than to run screaming from the clearing. But something felt different this time around.

The heat was not as scorching, the circle hadn't yet faded and even though the flames were bearing down at me, they moved at a sluggish pace. All around me, the air pulsed with energy that strengthened and renewed me and I was surprised to still be alright.

I may have been tired to the bone but somehow my spiritual power was just as strong as before. Perhaps even stronger. Maybe that was why. I felt as though I was not just using my own power but the power of the world as well. A magic even stronger than my own. And a magic that was willing to help me accomplish my goal.

**Slam! **My attention snapped back to the tornado as it collided with the magic of the clearing. If this had been any other time, I would have backed away, afraid to try and face it head-on. But, I think my power was trying to tell me that the Earth was on my side, that it would fight with me help me learn what I needed to learn. So, I trusted it and poured my soul and every thought into the mix. The flames flared as they struggled against the power, not gaining any headway but also not retreating. _If that's the way you want to play it… _

I began to mumble under my breath, bringing every other lingering thought to life. I wasn't exactly sure why. But, I was undoubtedly certain it would help. Soon, I was shouting.

"I refuse to give up!" I shouted at the vortex, not even caring how loud I was. I would wake up the whole school if that was what it took for this demon to accept me as its new master. "I don't care if you hate me or if you wish Laurie was still here. Honestly, so do I."

Sirchade has padded to my side but my eyes stayed focused on the task. The flames have calmed slightly but not enough. "Laurie was like a mom to me. She took care of me when I was young, was always there when I needed her, was brave and strong and tough. You may be a demon, Haristum, but I know you miss her too."

An ache was growing inside my chest but I tried to disregard it as the flames lessened more and more. I was too close to get distracted now. I spoke earnestly and calmly, urging him to see reason. "Haristum, I know you what you're looking for. You wish for me to prove myself worthy. And I'm trying. Believe me, I am. But, we won't get anywhere the longer you resist." The flames slowed to a halt and before my eyes was a tiny flame that danced in the center of the circle."

Sirchade called out to me. "This is your chance. He has been calmed. Chant his summoning words and call him to your side."

I nodded and took a deep breath. Then…

"You know you're really good at that."

The heat bounced back as the flames exploded into my face, blowing me back and slamming me into the ground. A shriek sounded from within the fire and then nothing. The clearing came back into view, the darkness returned and I was once again feeling like an utter failure.

"On your feet, girl." Sirchade looked down at my fallen figure. "We seemed to have an uninvited guest in our vicinity." He mewed with the upmost formality but somehow, he seemed stressed. From the way his fur puffed up, I knew that our "guest" was piquing his interest. And no regular human could do that.

Getting to my feet in the most dignified way that I could, I took a look at the guy who had appeared behind me and at first glance, came to a quick conclusion.

He wasn't my type. Not to say that he didn't look… um, appealing but there was something off about him. Some type of emotion that I couldn't quite pinpoint in his eyes. But maybe it was also his look that set me off. His hair was the tint of silver, not just the color. It seemed to sparkle in the light, a glorious sight as stunning as moonlight. And his eyes shone purple. Within his pupil, I saw a small dot of color that was hard to make out but then he blinked and it was gone. He wasn't that old, around my age. Not really bulky and muscular but neither was he stocky or gangly. He was an average size and he wore the True Cross Academy uniform so maybe he was just a student here.

Still, Sirchade was spitting at the intruder, I was seriously unsettled, and he didn't seem at all surprised by the talking cat or the demon summoning he had witnessed. That was enough evidence to believe he wasn't some normal person. But if not, what didn't he attend the cram school? I was on guard as a paralyzing thought came to me. _Oh, God could he be…?_

Sirchade had once explained that demons of all shapes and sizes would come after me and all the spiritual power I possessed. He never gave it a set date and I never pestered him about it. The sooner I forgot about it, the sooner I could care about more important _current_ events. Yes, I was scared of the demons but the way that Sirchade had suggested it… it actually seemed like I would be given time to study and train before they tracked me down. Damn, that cat was so deceiving.

And yet…

This boy hadn't done anything to me. I've been glaring him down threateningly and he just stares back with a blank, puzzled face. I didn't get it. Why didn't he attack or… "Excuse me, Miss?"

I jumped out of my skin when he called out to me and interrupted my inner monologue. "Uh, yes?" I asked, glancing down at Sirchade, whose eyes were fixed on the boy before us.

"I was just wondering… how long do you plan on staring at me like that?"

"Huh?"

"Well, you see, you're making such scary faces at me and I was wondering if I had done something wrong when I greeted you." He frowned now and sort of backed away, his face showing fright. Or maybe he was feigning fright?

I didn't know but still his behavior surprised me. Could he really be a demon or was I just jumping to conclusions? The way he acted contrasted with my opinions. I wasn't sure what to make of him.

"Uh, so," I said to make idle conversation, "do you have a name?"

He was silent and stared at me for a while, which started to creep me out. Just as I was about to say "never mind" and change the subject, he answers, "I'm not sure but I think my name is Talis."

"You think… so you don't know?"

He nodded and walked further into the clearing and closer to me, prompting me to back away. Just a step. I felt that I should keep my distance but I didn't sense any hostile intent. Whoever this kid was, harming me wasn't on his agenda.

"That was a demon, wasn't it?" Talis asked. He pointed to the broken marks of the summoning circle. "What you were trying to summon, I mean?"

"I take it you're familiar with demons then?" I wasn't going to answer that question without some proof that he wasn't in league with any enemies I may gain in the future.

He thought about the question for a moment before he answered. "I see them floating around all the time. But every time I ask them to play with me, they all steer clear of me. I've always wondered why. Do they hate me? Did I hate them? Is the world meant to be this way? Was it something I did?"

Playing with a demon wasn't something asked by a person with common sense. His speech was starting to scare me. What was all this about demons steering clear of him? Why would they? Should I give it any real thought or was he just yanking my chain? Honestly, I could not tell.

Talis looked at the charred remains of my circle and understanding flashed within his eyes. I frowned when he bowed. "I'm sorry that I have disturbed you this night. It was wrong of me. I shall leave you now." He turned to walk away but at the last second, he turned back around and added, "I'm not sure what it means but a message came to my mind just now. It said '_We are waiting, Guardian. Just as the worlds have been divided, as the end of ages approaches, the seal will become undone and the final protector shall die at our hands. Your time will end very soon, Arianne.'_"

The message had been enough to derail my train of thought but then he had to go and mention my name, one I seriously don't remember offering. I glanced frightfully at Sirchade who peered up at me. When we both turned back, we were stunned to realize that he was gone. Talis had vanished.

"He was a piece of work," Sirchade mused. "I'm surprised all he did was send a message."

"That's the only thing you're surprised about?" I didn't quite believe that. "Not that he knew my name or knew about demons and the like?"

"Of course, I am a cat. You can't expect me to be so worked up over such trivial matters."

"No disrespect but no way." I told him firmly. "Your fur gave you away. Let me guess, what Talis said about him… his ability to ward away demons… It's not just some lie, is it?"

Sirchade glared at me, upset that I was able to see through him. But, he got over it and answered my question truthfully. "Yes. I'm not sure how much of his story was true but I did feel a special power trying to push me away. In fact, I've felt it for a few weeks now. Every since we came here."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Sirchade huffed. "Please, you had enough on your plate. Besides, the feeling was far off. And as long as it stayed away, I didn't have to worry. But, it seems what I mistook for a demon happened to be… something else."

_Something else?_ I swallowed nervously. "Talis seemed sort of human. Is it possible that a demon has possessed him?"

"It didn't feel as though he was possessed. This feeling was unlike anything I had encountered before. But that is not the only reason I think we should be cautious." He turned to the ruined circle. "It's my belief that if Talis hadn't shown up when he did, Haristum's summoning would have been a success. But, once he entered the clearing, the most likely outcome became impossible. We're not dealing with a regular human nor are we dealing with a regular demon. I suggest that you wear your pendant more often."

I sighed. "But I already used it, remember?" _Could it be that he had forgotten? Yes, I could finally usurp him for all the annoyance he causes me._ I couldn't wait for the kicker to come into play and soon, my voice adopted a syrupy, sweet voice. "Don't you remember? I already used it once so now it's useless. Sirchade, you should not forget such things." I said, slightly teasing.

Sirchade was only curt as he sliced my words to pieces. "Of course I would tell you that it could only be used once. Then, you'd be obligated to treasure it more. If I told you there a total of three separate tries, it wouldn't have mattered as much to you and that would have been a problem."

"Huh? Hold on, you said that Laurie had used the first two times." I asked, trying to grab hold of the situation.

Sirchade snorted. "Laurie was given many years to train. Yes, she had the pendant. But, she never needed it. In fact, she went through the trouble of finding the charm because she knew she you would need it if she happened to fail."

And again, my plans are thwarted. But still, my unease of the earlier situation soon faded away to be replaced by faint happiness. Even in death, my sister had thought of me first. I couldn't be more blessed. "Sirchade, thank you."

One of his ears twitched as he raised an eyebrow but he said nothing. Neither did I. He knew what I meant and I knew what I meant. That was more than enough.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter was actually a joy to write. Arianne and Ryuji's first study session. Her own growing spiritual powers. The near successful summoning of Haristum. Introducing the mysterious Talis. It's been eventful. But, now we are going to be entering back into the original storyline once again. And soon I will actually write the chapter that I had promised last chapter. Please tell me what you think. I want to hear from you all! Review, favorite, or follow. And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'll be happy to answer and lay to rest any confusion you may have. So, as always...**

**ArthurDragonpen, signing off!**


	7. Chapter 7: Boot Camp part 1

**Chapter 7: Boot Camp part 1**

**Disclaimer: ArthurDragonpen does not own Blue Exorcist**

**A/N: All the sorries in the world won't make up for taking so long. My schedule got really crowded and I just couldn't find time to upload. But, almost every other day I had time, I would at least write a small piece of the story. And now I have finished. Hope the chapter was well worth the wait! Ladies and Gentlemen, Chapter 7!**

* * *

**Arianne**

Due to some high and mighty mysterious power at the academy, three of my high school classes have been cut. The official reason was that I was already well-versed in them, a reason I knew was complete crap because I sucked at… well, school. But, if someone wanted to confuse myth with reality, I ain't complaining. In fact, I'm celebrating. Now that my schedule has lightened up, it's also due for some changes as well. I could probably work Sirchade's summoning classes into lunch time. That way, I wouldn't have to go to two tutoring sessions back-to-back at a really late hour. Plus, I could probably set up some much needed sleeping periods during any small intervals. As I worked on the plan all lunch period, I couldn't help believing that things were finally looking up.

* * *

"All right, summer vacation is less than a month and a half away, but before you take the break, you'll take this year's Exwire Authorization Exam." Mr. Okumura looked around the room to make sure that each of us understood. When he looked to me, I nodded dutifully. But, I wasn't faking or lying. I really knew what he was talking about. Thanks to all of the past study sessions with Ryuji, I had learned so much. At least enough to be on par with the majority of the class.

"Be aware," Mr. Okumura warned and I tuned back into the conversation. "Once you're promoted to Exwire, you'll be subjugated to more specialized combat training, so the exam won't be easy to pass. Therefore, next week, we'll hold a week-long boot camp to prepare you for it."

That got everyone's attention. For the most part, Mr. Okumura was just telling us things we had already known. But, this boot camp… a grin settled on my face. This boot camp might actually be fun.

Mr. Okumura passed out some forms. "As the camp isn't mandatory, indicate if you're participating as well as the "meister" or title you'd like to acquire, and turn the form in by Monday."

Meister! Yet another thing that Ryuji taught me weeks in advance. I was going to be one bona-fied Exwire by the time we finished this. I tried to catch Ryuji's eye as I smiled but he was a little preoccupied.

"Hey, what's a meister?" Rin asked.

Ryuji, as usual, couldn't comprehend how he had ever gotten into this school. "You don't know that and you're going to become an Exorcist? Gimmie a break!"

Shima stifled a laugh. "Wow, Rin, you really are clueless, huh?"

Rin was irritated from their teasing and tried reasoning with them. "C'mon some of us in this world have no clue. Take me and Arianne for example."

Oh no, he was **not** using me as an example. Before he was able to go on, I interrupted. "Sorry to burst your bubble, Rin, but I have a pretty firm grasp of what the Meisters are."

Rin whirled to look at me in shock. "Hold on… you know about them?"

I shrug and act nonchalant. "What can I say? I've got a pretty good tutor." I noticed Ryuji's face burn red when I said this but purposely acted as if I hadn't seen.

Meanwhile, Rin was still at a loss. "And you never told me any of this because…?"

Arianne frowned. "We may discuss a lot of topics but how am I supposed to know about the subject you're clueless on if you don't ever _mention_ them?"

Rin's mouth was open in reply but he froze as he started to the sense of my statement. Of course he was saved from having to answer when Konekomaru supplied, "Well, since you don't know, a meister is a technical qualification required to become an exorcist and it's a title given to those proven to be highly skilled."

I picked up the explanation from there. "Knight, Dragoon, Tamer, Aria, and Doctor – there are five titles in all, and as long as you have acquired at least one, you can become an exorcist."

Rin sat beside Konekomaru and Shima as his mind processed the information. "I see… I think I kinda get it."

Ryuji, being Ryuji demanded, "Hey, who said you could sit with us?"

To further spite him, I got up from my perfectly normal sit to go sit beside him. Then, in an innocent manner, I asked, "Did you have anything against sitting next to people? C'mon Ryuji, don't be so up-tight."

The redness in his cheeks flared up again but from embarrassment or anger, I wasn't too sure. But still, it seemed that the conversation had started again without our noticing.

Rin asked Konekomaru a question. "So what are you going to go for?"

"Shima and I are going to try for Aria."

Rin looked at his sheet. "Aria?"

"Aria are meisters that battle by reciting the Bible and sacred scriptures…"

Shima turned to look at Ryuji, picking up where the conversation left off. "And Bon here is all gung-ho, and is going for both Aria and Dragoon."

For once, when Rin was talking to Ryuji, it seemed he had a look of reverence on his face. "Wow, that's our Bon!"

"Do not call me Bon!"

"Come to think of it," Koneko—_you know what, saying his name takes way to long so from now on, I'm going to call him Neko (Cat) from now on._

_So, where was I? Oh, right._

"Come to think of it," Neko mused thoughtfully, "Mr. Okumura has two as well – Doctor and Dragoon."

"Man, Yukio kicks butt."

Rin put on a thoughtful look. "What should I go for? Actually, what's a Dragoon?"

Ryuji slammed his fists down on the desk, no doubt causing a commotion. "For crying out loud! You're such a pain!" He grumbles. "A Dragoon is a meister who fights with firearms! A Knight's a meister who fights with a sword!"

I looked apologetically at Rin. "And that sums up the basics." Well everything except the Tamer and Doctor meisters, but they're pretty self-explanatory. I doubted we'd need to teach Rin what they were for as well.

Shima laughed. "For all of his grumbling, Bon's actually pretty helpful, you know."

"Shut up!"

Rin thought back over the conversation when a thought occurred to him. "Hey, did you say 'sword'?"

Neko nodded – and I squealed in silence at how that nickname reminded me of an actual cat: all sweet and innocent and cute. Which is to say… nothing like Sirchade – and replied, "Yes. Meisters who fight with swords are called Knights."

Rin smiled. "Okay, then I'm going to be a Knight."

I smiled. "Well, good luck. Not everyone has the skills to become a Knight."

Rin looked me over. "And you know this how?"

"Studying."

"So you have no real experience in the field… right?" He dragged his "right" out for long enough that it was fairly easy for me to realize that it had been a dig at my knowledge. But, I took it in stride and agreed.

"You're right. I have no experience in being a Knight. Nor will I ever. It's not exactly a skill of mine." I got up from the table at the sound of the next bell.

"So, do you have any skills worth vouching for?" Rin was persistent, I'll give him that.

I looked back at the amused grin on his face. Obviously, he didn't believe that my knowledge would account for much in a real world setting. And though I wanted to shove my Tamer prowess in his face, I realized it was a subject better left alone. So, instead of losing my cool like I would have done maybe a couple of months ago, I only offered a little smirk over my shoulder and said rather bad-ass, "Stay tuned."

* * *

The moment I walked into my next class, I was handed a strip of paper with a small summoning circle on it. The rest of the class stood in a circle as the teacher took the liberty of actually drawing a circle in the middle. Or should I say a summoning circle. I was listening pointedly to what the teacher said because for once in my life, I was a wiz on the subject. Or at better at it than most.

"All right, I will now summon a demon."

"Whoa!" Rin was in awe at the teacher's confidence and stepped forward to take a closer look. I opened my mouth to issue a warning when…

"Don't step on the drawing!"

Rin jumped back as our teacher continued. "If the Magic Circle is broken, it will lose all effect. Now, to summon a demon, you will need a drop of your own blood and a suitable invocation."

He held a bandaged, bloodied hand over the circle and spoke a few choice words. "Son of Typhoeus and Echidna, comply with my request and show yourself!"

At once, the room grew cold and wind descended upon us, slightly pulling at us, slightly pushing us away. A gray mass appeared from the confines of the circle along with a mist that smelt of burnt hair. The mass grew and took shape and when all was finished, there stood a dog-like Demon with many stitches strewn across its features.

"Is that a Naberius?" Neko asked.

Even Ryuji seemed stunned. "I've never seen one."

Shima sniffed the air. "Smells like sulfur."

Our teacher looked around our small circle. "Few have the ability to summon a demon to use as a Familiar. Not only do you need the immense willpower to tame a demon, but a natural aptitude is also indispensable. I shall now test to see if any of you have this aptitude."

I smiled, knowing exactly where he was going with this.

From his trench coat, our teacher pulled out one of the many summoning circles. "Using the rough sketch of the Magic Circle I passed at when you walked in, place a drop and chant whatever words come to mind."

Time to do this. I got my paper ready and was just about to chant when the words called out to me in my head. _Wait, let them go first._

_Sirchade? _I called out in my mind. _Was that you?_

He hadn't answered but I knew his voice well enough to know I hadn't been hallucinating. For some reason, he wanted me to let them go first. And since he was my mentor, I 'm guessing he saw this as a moment to teach me something. So, I dropped my hands to my side and let someone else go first.

"I humbly appeal to thee, O goddess Inari! I entreat you not to leave my prayers unfulfilled!" Two balls of light flared up, changing their forms constantly until they were the shapes of two white fox spirits. The fox spirits appeared at Kamiki's side and though I was entranced by their appearance, I couldn't quite get over the smug, condescending look on Kamiki's face.

The teacher's facial expression hadn't changed but even I knew he hadn't been expecting this type of experience from a rookie who wasn't even qualified as Exwire yet. "Not one… but two Byakko, white foxes… Splendid, Izumo Kamiki!"

Kamiki's friend, Paku, smiled at her success. "That's amazing, Izumo." Then, she frowned down at her own circle. "I'm not having any luck."

"Well, of course! I'm from a long line of shrine maidens!"

_Yeah and I'm the last member of the first Tamer's family and the savior of the planet but you don't see me bragging._

All around the room, everyone was muttering their assent on how they didn't seem to have this skill. Ryuji chanced a look at me as if to say: _Here's your big chance. Go for it._

I slowly brought up my paper when Shiemi shouted out, "L-Let me try too!"

_Too little, too late, I guess._ Still, following Sirchade's advice, I waited as she put a drop of blood upon the circle and concentrated hard. She spoke no words and for a while, I thought about summoning my own Familiar to guide their attention away from Shiemi's failure when a glowing green light appeared and from the light came a baby Greenman. I had seen them almost every night I had practiced with Sirchade and they were surprisingly harmless as well as unsurprisingly cute.

"That looks like an infant Greenman… Stupendous, Shiemi Moriyama."

Shiemi was flustered. "H-Hello!" The Greenman, in turn, grabbed hold of a lock of her hair and began to steadily climb to the top. Shiemi looked up. "Hey, Ms. Kamiki, I-I-I was able to summon my Familiar too."

Kamiki closed her eyes and replied, "Awesome! It's unbelievably tiny and adorable like a peanut." Even though she was being civil, I could definitely hear undertones of sarcasm and malice, which made me like her less.

But, it seemed that Shiemi wasn't well-versed in sarcasm because she happily said thank you without a second thought.

And me? Well, I think I'd waited long enough.

"Guess it's my turn then," I said, drawing everyone's attention. Kamiki's expression darkened even more and Rin strode forward. "Hold on. You?"

"Just watch, would you?" Placing a drop of blood across the top of the circle, I think on my options. Sirchade and Haristum. Then I realized the answer was stunningly simple. Plus, I hadn't yet mastered Haristum's summoning and I really didn't want to burn down the cram school if that what it came to. Alright then.

"_Keeper of animals, ruler of beasts, heed my call! Thy name is Sirchade!"_

At the last second, I wished for him to show up in another form. I wanted this to be cool and fun but above all else, I wanted to bring out a creature that Kamiki couldn't insult easily. And the form I was thinking of was likely to get a lot of good responses.

The room grew misty and fog shrouded us all. When at last the fog dissipated, there was a scream of terror and a lot of backpedaling as everyone backed away from Sirchade's tiger form. His blue eyes looked up to me before surveying the rest of the room. He noted that besides me, our teacher, Rin, Ryuji and Kamiki didn't seem at all intimidated. I placed my hand on the top of his head and for a moment we stood silently. A Tamer and her Familiar.

Finally, our teacher broke the silence. "Sirchade, the ruler of beasts… Interesting, Arianne Tekuto." Just as before, his facial expression hadn't changed but now there happened to be a new light in his eyes, as if he were regarding me as a… test subject rather than a girl.

Sirchade noticed but said nothing which was alright with me because it seemed that Kamiki had eyes for no one but me and I was happy to oblige in this staring contest. I was so going to win too.

Kamiki smirked. "A tiger? That's interesting. What can she do? I mean, it is a 'she', right?" That dig wasn't meant for me and Sirchade growled out his irritation. _I wonder how that human girl would taste?_ And again with Sirchade's thoughts in my head. What was with that?

The two white foxes must have picked up on Sirchade's thoughts because they stepped protectively in front of their owner and snarled menacingly. Sirchade raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged slightly. I didn't care what he did, so long as he didn't take any lives or destroy the building in the process.

"Sirchade," I commanded, "Roar."

He opened his jaws and let loose a roar so powerful, the room shook. The papers in Kamiki's hand were ripped to shreds in a matter of seconds and her Byakkos disappeared like smoke.

Kamiki's eyes narrowed into tiny slits and I gave a half smile as I placed my hand on top of Sirchade's head, effectively quieting him. Then, I checked the rest of the room. Shiemi was looking back and forth between us, her Greenman friend on her head. Ryuji gave me a look that was one-third speechless, one-third impressed, and one-third something else entirely. Rin was regarding me searchingly, wondering where in the world I had gotten such a powerful Familiar. Of course I wasn't going to divulge that information.

The Naberius in the middle of the circle hadn't seemed to be effected, despite the special ability of the roar that allows it to affect all demons with an animalistic body. It might have been the protection of the Magic Circle or the willpower of our teacher but all in all, I'm glad I hadn't screwed anything up.

Our teacher closed his eye. "It seems we have no shortage of Tamer candidates this year. Now then, the ability to manipulate demons during combat is extremely rare among Exorcists, so Tamers are highly valued. A demon will never obey a master weaker than itself. So if its master lacks confidence, it will turn on them and attack." _Been there, done that._ I couldn't even count how many times Haristum had lashed out at me while I tried to summon him.

"As I mentioned, breaking the Circle will release the Familiar, causing it to vanish. So, if you ever sense danger, tear up the sheet of paper." He brushed away at the circle with the heel of his shoe and the Naberius faded away as if he had never been there in the first place. The bell ran and class was dismissed. As the teacher left, Kamiki, Paku and Shiemi right after him, I realized that no one had moved from their spots.

"Hey, guys, what's wrong? We can all go now." I gestured to the door.

"No offense to you, Arianne, but there is no way I'm getting close to that tiger. What if it tries to eat us?"

I turned to Sirchade, who was busy licking one of his palms to notice the argument. Either that or he noticed the exchange and was secretly pleased that he scared them. Either way, it was my job to make my classmates realize that he wasn't a threat to them or their safety. I bent down to Sirchade's level and whispered in his ear. "Maybe you should go. I'll tear up the paper now."

He snorted and then I remembered. He wasn't like regular familiars. If he wanted to remain in Assiah, he could.

"Fine, if you're going to stay, at least revert back to your cat form." I asked. He huffed and walked out of the room, which I took to mean: _I'll think about it._

"Are you sure letting him roam free is a good idea?" Neko asked me as we watched him walk away.

I shrugged. "Why not? It's exactly what he's been doing for the past few months. You'll be fine. So, anyway, see you later." I walked out of the room, already making a mental list of what I would need for this boot camp.

* * *

Just as I had previously thought, it seemed that no one had wanted to be left out of this field trip so I wasn't too surprised when everyone showed up at the meeting place. In the back of the pack of trainees who had shown up, I noticed Kamiki treating Shiemi like a slave and I seriously wanted to slap her. Shiemi shouldn't have just taken this like it was nothing. But, I couldn't very well go off on Kamiki now. I needed to be discreet and concentrate on the task at hand. Plus, I needed to be level-headed enough to deal with any of her bull-crap excuses.

* * *

"All right, time's up!" Mr. Okumura said, "Turn your papers over and turn them in."

I took a look out the window and realized that the sky was growing dark. It would be night soon.

As the guys complained, the girls remained sophisticated and I was glad to see that we had all done a good job. Yes, I was also complimenting Kamiki. I mean, I can't be angry at her about everything. Plus, she's the perfect rival.

Mr. Okumura turned a deaf ear to everyone's tiredness. "Tomorrow, everyone up by 6 a.m. We'll have an hour before class to go over the answers to this test."

Kamiki got up to go take a bath and Paku and Shiemi went with her. Because I disliked Kamiki and I didn't trust Shiemi's judgment, I decided to tag along. No harm done, right?

"This is it, right?" Paku asked, opening the door and walking in.

"Wow, I've never taken a bath with friends before!" Shiemi's enthusiasm was infectious because I smiled too.

"To be honest, neither have I. I'm looking forward to it though," I said. Shiemi smiled at me and I retuned that smile.

But then Kamiki had to open her big mouth.

"Would you mind waiting?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Because I don't want you to see me naked. We're friends so try to understand where I'm coming from."

Kamiki turned to leave but, at the last second, demanded, "Instead of waiting the whole time, go buy me some fruit milk. I want to drink it after my bath."

I grabbed a hold of Shiemi's arm and gave a fake smile. "Sure, we'll go do that right now. Come on, Shiemi," I replied trying to sound sincere and not like I wanted to rip Kamiki's head off. It was hard.

The door shut on us and the two of us were left alone in the hall. The smile slipped off my face and I sighed in relief. Now then…

"Shiemi, Arianne, what are you doing?"

"Nothing, I've got to go get some fruit milk," was Shiemi's soft reply. She seemed as though she were trying to hide her disappointment. She was doing a horrible job. But, in hindsight, that was a good thing now that Rin was here. Maybe he could help me help her see reason.

She began to walk away and since I still held on to her right arm, she dragged me away with her, not even noticing.

"Hey!" Rin had grabbed her other arm and held firm. "Listen, you… just cut it out!"

"Cut what out?"

"You know what – acting like her errand girl. It's just weird!" Rin snapped in reply.

Shiemi whirled to face Rin and wrenched her arm from his grip. "I'm not her errand girl! I'm helping out my friend!"

Rin's face had a look of disgust or was it anger? "You're not helping her out! Do you seriously believe that? You know you don't!"

Shiemi bowed her head, her voice becoming even softer. "I'm tired of always hiding behind someone else and being rescued. Even I want…" She trailed off and I couldn't help feeling sorry for her.

I glared at Rin. "Lay off her, would you?"

He glared back. "You really think Shiemi should go on being Kamiki's slave?"

"Of course I don't. But, maybe instead of yelling at her, we could be doing something a little more productive." I turned to Shiemi and tried for a smile before realizing that any smile I tried now would exceptionally fake. So I dropped the smile and tried for an empathic look.

"Shiemi, Rin wants what is in your best interest. Yes, you need to break out of this shell you've confined yourself in for years. But, you should also listen to the people who have a little more life experience." I paused. "I know what you're going through but I realized, over time, that a friend that commands you to do things and bosses you around is no friend at all. And even if you hate me for telling the truth, I'll take it. Because I won't allow _my_ friend to go through this on her own."

Shiemi's head raised at the words "my friend" and she probably wondered how I could use the phrase so lightly.

But, really, I wasn't using it lightly. Despite what she may have been thinking, she was my friend and I was never letting Kamiki take advantage of her again.

Shiemi's eyes filled with tears and I pulled her close and let her cry on my shoulder. I smiled then, a genuine smile that let her know it was alright. "C'mon, we can go take a bath later." I began to lead her down the hallway with Rin on our heels. I said it once and now I will say it again. Things were finally looking up. I sent a silent thank you to the universe for letting things get better.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH!" A shrill scream echoed down the hall.

Damn you, universe!

I whirled back towards the baths where the scream had come from. Rin had already run off to see what was up, leaving Shiemi and I to go tell Yukio. Almost immediately, Shiemi exclaimed that she wanted to help and ran after him. Because I did not know much of Rin's capabilities and I still didn't fully trust Shiemi's judgment, I was suddenly in a bind. Which way do I go? What do I do? I couldn't be in two places at once. I… am such an idiot.

I called out to the empty hall. "Sirchade, alert Yukio. Now." Yes, he wasn't there. But how did I know for a fact? He could have already done it. So, instead of worrying, I followed the others to the bathroom, mentally preparing myself for the sight that lay ahead.

* * *

First impression: Nightmare. Paku was on the ground, with gory burns that ran down the right side of her face and arms. Kamiki was in her underwear, kneeling next to Paku. Shiemi and her familiar were treating Paku. And Rin? He was currently being choked to death by a ghoul. So, yeah that wasn't good. Taking the first thing that I could find, I brought the broom down on the ghoul's left head. The handle broke and I was thrown back as if nothing had happened. I picked up the remains of the broom and stabbed at it again, knowing that I was hardly making a dent.

I could see Rin reaching for his sword and realized that maybe I could use that to stop the ghoul. If anything, I could probably slice its arms off. Then, it wouldn't be able to choke anyone.

"Arianne! Move!" I acted on reflexes, not even thinking about it. Diving to the side, I watched as two bullets embedded themselves into the ghoul's back and he reared up, climbed the wall, dodged the rest of Mr. Okumura's shots and escaped through the window.

Through all of that, I had been holding my breath in shock. A demon? Here? Was it me? Had they been after me yet again and I got everyone mixed up in it? I thought I could deal with this alone. Obviously not.

Trying not to let the guilt show, I helped Rin up and as usual, he went to argue with his younger brother. Yukio disregarded the topic, instead asking how Paku was. He checked the wounds and commended Shiemi on her quick thinking. I may have been majorly bummed about how my friends kept getting involved in my affairs but even I could manage a little smile for Shiemi who was already coming out of her shell little by little.

* * *

(**From the viewpoint of Igor Neuhaus**)

"So you failed…" He places his hand on one of the heads.

His demon growled. He smiled. "Why do you howl? Wait, are you perhaps laughing at me for having sunk to the level of a demon's dog?" The smile left his face and he turned to a dark corner of the roof. "Come out. I know you're there."

The figure who stepped out had the appearance of a teenage boy. But the look in his purple eyes suggested otherwise.

"Who are you?"

"Talis," he replied simply.

"And what is it that you want, Talis?" Neuhaus demanded, his voice full of malice.

"What I want…" He chuckled to himself. It was the sound of manic laughter. The screeching of tortured crows came to mind when he heard it.

Finally, the boy looked coldly at Neuhaus. "What I want is simple… I merely wish to observe."

* * *

**?**

Watching from a tree, a cat observed the two and their conversation. He immediately recognized the boy Neuhaus spoke to but this boy was not the same as he had been weeks before. Something had changed. If anything, he had become more dangerous.

Still, until he really knew what was going on, he wouldn't say a word to Arianne. For her own safety.

"Well, well, well, this is an interesting development," said Sirchade as he jumped down from the tree and slinked off into the woods.

* * *

**A/N: It's amazing how much work you can do in a day when you put in your best effort. I skipped a lot of my homework to write this but when a follower askes me to keep up the good work, I can't just do nothing. No matter how busy I am. Which reminds me... shoutout to Momochan77 for her words and reminding me that I haven't yet told the whole story. I'll try to be mindful of all my followers from now on. But please know that I might not be able to update every week anymore. But, I'll at least try not to let it go over two weeks. Please, review, follow, or favorite if you liked what I've done so far. Next update will be soon. **

**ArthurDragonpen, signing off!**


	8. Chapter 8: Boot Camp part 2

**Chapter 8: Boot camp, Part 2: The Revelation**

**Disclaimer: ArthurDragonpen does not own Blue Exorcist**

**A/N: Can we say Double Feature? It's barely been a day and here I am uploading yet another chapter. This is just sorry for making you wait so long for the last chapter. But there is another reason. I've got some family matters to deal with. So i will be out of town for all of next weekend. Since i wasn't going to be here, I decided to pull an all-nighter, an all-day-er and get this next chapter done. So, enjoy this next chapter as part of the ****Boot Camp Double Feature! Ladies and Gents, Chapter 8!**

* * *

"Sirchade, I swear, if you poke me one more time, I will throw you out the closest window," I mumbled through the haze of my sleep.

"How droll of you," Sirchade said without a bit of fear. He padded over to my side and scratched me once more. "But if you'll recall, your instructor told you to get up at 6 a.m."

I pulled my head up and glared at the cat. "Yeah, so? My alarm is set to wake me up at 5:20 so I can get ready for the day. If it hasn't rung yet, then I don't need to get up."

"Stubbornness runs in your family, it seems." He made a _tsk-tsk_ sound and I pulled the pillow over my head to muffle any sound. It wasn't working. He was still as loud as ever. Perhaps even louder. Finally, I sat up and threw the pillow at the mangy furball. "Would you shut up? Some people like to get their rest."

Sirchade dodged the pillow easily and sat on a chair across the room. "That's funny. I believed that you were of the equation that looked to get to class on time."

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"It is currently 6:05. You slept through your alarm."

My eyes widened and turned towards the alarm clock in dismay. He was right. The one time I ignored him and he was trying to help. Maybe I should lay off the attitude a little bit more. I jumped to my feet and immediately got dressed only stopping to get the necessities. Then, I searched the room for my backpack, which I had stowed away somewhere.

"Damnit, where is my backpack? Can't go anywhere without it." Getting down on my hands and knees, I searched the floor but still was unable to find it. Crap. Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap.

"Sirchade, could you please tell me what time it is now? I don't want to be anymore late than I already am." Sirchade slinked over to the alarm while I checked a couple of obscure places.

"Right now, it is currently 5:19."

"Oh my god! I'm almost twenty minutes late." My eyes scoured the room and soon found the straps of the bag in a crevice under the bed. I grabbed it and swung it onto my back. "Got it. Now, I've gotta…" I froze as the time came back to me. I stared at Sirchade. "What time did you say it was?"

"I do believe I said it was 5:19." _Beep, beep, beep! _"No, wait, make that 5:20. Looks like your alarm went off on time after all."

"But… you… how?" I was at a loss for words. Clearing my mind, I started over. "I don't understand. I checked the clock myself. I saw it say 6. So how…?"

Sirchade licked his pad. "You saw only what I wanted you to see. By projecting an image into your mind, I was able to briefly fool you into believing that you had overslept. When in reality, you had done nothing of the sort."

I face-palmed myself. Sometimes this cat was too much. "Is this your idea of a joke? Because can I be the first to say, not funny?"

Sirchade yawned and took _my_ place on my bed. "Getting angry won't help. Besides, this was nothing but a test. A test you passed."

I scoffed then. "Right, right, a test. And what, exactly, were you testing? How many times you could annoy me before I threw you out the window?"

"As amusing as that idea is, no. I was testing your mind and its strength. Now that I know how strong you are within your subconscious, it is now time to teach you a new skill."

I wanted to stay mad at him. I really did. But the thought of a new skill was intriguing to say the least. So, I sat down and paid close attention as he explained.

"Recently, you've been hearing my thoughts within your head. Am I right?"

I nod and he continues. "As a Guardian, you can hear the thoughts of the demons that hold allegiance with you. And they, in turn, can give you knowledge and information just by thinking about it. Call it a sixth sense, if you wish. By utilizing this power, you could spread your forces to the farthest corners of the world and still know of their whereabouts as well as whatever they are thinking at the moment. Plus, it allows you to dig within their memories."

Okay, slightly more interested now. "Does it work on others like, say, Yukio or Rin?"

"Unfortunately not." The way he said it made it seem like he was happy I couldn't delve into the minds of others. Of course I had no idea what he was thinking. At least not yet.

I sigh and move over to the room's window. "Hey, Sirchade, I need you to do something. Come here for a sec."

He grumbled a bit before getting up from his comfy position and padding over to me. Jumping up onto the table so that he was at least the height of my waist, he asked, "What is it now?"

I opened the window and took in that morning air. Then, as fast as a viper, I snatched the cat up and threw him out the window. "Have a nice trip down."

Then, I closed and locked the window and set my alarm for fifteen minutes. Then, I got back and bed and took a nap. As I closed my eyes, a smile gripped my face. I should have felt guilty, doing that to a poor animal. But, it seemed that no matter what form he took, Sirchade was always the exception.

* * *

"Just promise you'll keep your mouth shut!" Kamiki's voice drifted from up the steps and as I got closer to the conversation between her and Rin, I guess you could say my interest was peaked. But, in all honesty, after the craziness of yesterday, I couldn't care less. Even still I managed to nonchalantly ask, "Keep his mouth shut about what?"

Both Kamiki and Rin jumped as I came to a stop beside them. Kamiki was red-faced and Rin was surprised.

"Arianne, how long have you been standing there?"

I shrugged. "Just from the point when you said he needed to keep his mouth shut. Kamiki, a word of advice. I know Rin is a bit of a smart aleck but there's no need for you to rude like that. There are easier ways to tell him to shut up."

I should get an award in miscommunication because I was pretty good at purposely doing it. The tension in Kamiki's shoulders was released and she went back to being herself. Even if her personality still annoyed the crap out of me.

"Mind your own business, would you?" Kamiki huffed.

"Will do," I said with a mock salute. Don't get me wrong. I still didn't like this girl and I hated agreeing with her. But that didn't matter. Ain't nobody got time to get in a fight at 6 in the morning. It was just too early for that.

"Good morning!" I nearly jumped three feet in the air when I heard those words but I managed to stifle my fight-or-flight response long enough to realize that it was only Yukio.

After a small greeting from the three of us, we checked on Paku. After giving her some medicine, Yukio deduced that she would be fine as long as she was given three or four days rest. Looks like she'd be spending the rest of boot camp from her bed. Lucky. I wistfully imagined resting in bed for the next four days and it felt like paradise. But then reality creeped up on me again and I realized that both Rin and Yukio were leaving. Being left alone with Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent was not my idea of fun. So I waved good-bye quickly and backtracked from the room, following the brothers as they made their way to school.

For a while, we were silent and the silence was unsettling. Both of them seemed to be reacting to something, as if another demon was close. And being between the two brothers made it so hard to ignore the tension emanating off them. _They might not want to talk to you. You know, secrets that siblings share._

I suspended my disbelief there. I pushed away those thoughts because they were completely ridiculous. We were already studying to become Exorcists who dealt with demons on a daily basis. How many other life-changing secrets could they really have?

I decided to try to make small talk. Starting with our seriously eventful last night. "So what was up with that demon that attacked yesterday?"

Yukio glanced briefly at me. "I'm investigating its entry routes and whereabouts. It was an above-intermediate level Naberius."

Rin glanced over my head at his brother. "Didn't you say this school was protected by demon warding charms?"

"So you actually remember? Very impressive!"

Rin's expression grew irritated. "You're mocking me again…"

I sighed. "If that's true about those demon warding charms, they're not really doing a good job."

Yukio frowned. "Rin is right about the charms… but occasionally that kind of demon slips inside. So we've got to remain vigilant."

I noticed Rin's grim look and decided not to comment. Soon, we were back to how we were before: the three of us making our way down a silent hall.

* * *

Things went from bad to worse later that day and as usual, the cause was none other than Ryuji (not to say Rin doesn't cause problems too but he's been pretty tame for the past few hours so he doesn't count).

I should have stopped Kamiki from calling Ryuji out in class. But, I was kind of daydreaming and not paying much attention. At least not until Kamiki raised her voice.

"Aria are completely defenseless when they are reciting so they have to be protected by their party." Kamiki scoffed, "They're nothing but a burden!" That's about the point when crap really started hitting the fan.

Ryuji smirk turned to a scowl and he shouted out, "What the hell? Are you seriously trashing an aspiring Aria to his face?" Ryuji got up from his chair at the same time as Kamiki and they advanced towards one another. At this point, I realized I should probably stop them.

Jumping up from my seat, I tried reasoning with them. "C'mon, you guys, this fight isn't worth it."

Ryuji turned his anger on me. "She insults me and you say that it isn't worth it." He shakes his head and resumes his advance while I just look on. "Ryuji…" I whispered.

"I'm so scared! Go on, hit me if you want!" Kamiki's condescending look was plastered on her face and it took all of my willpower not to go to war on her now for getting us all into this mess.

"I could never stand you in the first place! Don't make fun of other people's dreams!" He slammed his hand on the desk, cutting off Rin's concentration. But that was one of the last things on my mind.

"Oh…" Kamiki said slowly, "you mean your dream of 'defeating Satan'? What a joke! What else can I do but laugh?"

_Oh, I don't know. Maybe go hide in your room and stay away from Ryuji for however long you can because he will become the ruin of your life._ You know, just a safety precaution.

"Yeah? Then how about you?" Ryuji countered. "What's your purpose in becoming an exorcist, huh? Spill it!"

Kamiki's face went white for a second before clearing, something I might not have caught if I hadn't been looking for a reaction to Ryuji's words. "I've never told anyone else what my purpose is. Since I'm not an attention seeker like you!"

That last little dig pushed Ryuji over the edge and he grabbed a fistful of Kamiki's sweater. She prepared to slap him but at the last second, Rin got in the way and her hand collided with his shoulder. Then Rin got mad and yelled at the both of them. This wasn't going to end well.

"All right, settle down!" We turned to see Yukio's form in the doorway. His eyebrows were twitching as if he were trying to keep his own temper from flaring. "That's enough already."

After taking stock of his expression and how this must have looked, I came to a quick conclusion. Yep, definitely not ending well.

* * *

"What the hell is up with this pickling rock?" Rin yelled at Yukio. "It's getting heavier by the second for crying out loud!"

"It's another low-level demon," Neko said from his kneeled position. "The longer you hold it, the heavier…" He whimpered.

Ryuji shook his head in disgust. "You don't even know what a Bariyon is? You really are pathetic!"

"Don't give me that," Rin snapped back, "It's all because of your fight that we…"

"C'mon, you two!" I yelled, cutting them both off. "Don't you think we've fought enough?"

"This method is known as collective responsibility." Yukio said, quieting all conversation. "The point of this boot camp is not only to 'bolster your academic skills,' but also for you to 'cultivate friendship'."

"I'd rather die than get chummy with these jerks." Kamiki was adamant about this statement and this was reason number 42 why I really didn't like her.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to learn to get along. An exorcist cannot go into battle alone."

Everyone was listening now.

"To maximize each other's skills, compensate for shortcomings, and fight in parties of two or more are basic procedure. In actual combat, such bickering could plunge you into life-or-death situations. Seriously, reflect on that…" He checked the time before saying, "Alright, I'll be gone for about three hours on a minor assignment."

_Three hours? Good Lord! And you expect us to kneel here for that long?_

"However due to the incident with the ghoul yesterday, I'm taking extra precautions and locking all the dorms' entrances, and applying a powerful demon-warding charm."

"Locked?" Ryuji asked, "But then how are we supposed to get out of here?"

"There's no need to leave. I'll be back in three hours. Until then, I want you all to get along and cool off."

He smiled one last time before locking us in the room and going about his business.

_He wants us to feel safe? I would totally feel that if this Bariyon wasn't on my knees, trying to crush me flat. _

"Three hours? That guy is as evil as a demon." Shima was voicing my thoughts exactly.

"I can't take it anymore," Ryuji exclaimed. "Are you and that instructor really related?" I looked over to Rin as well. I mean, I had the evidence to believe they were but the fact was they acted nothing alike, despite being twins.

"H-He's a really good guy… I'm sure he is…" Rin's voice trailed off and personally I couldn't blame him.

Ryuji glanced at Kamiki quickly before looking away. "Anyway, look at this mess we're in, thanks to someone!" It was pretty obvious whom he was referring to.

"Huh? You're the one who grabbed me by the collar." _Not this again._ I quickly tuned out of the conversation since me trying to intervene didn't do much to help anyway. _Thinking like that will get you nowhere, Arianne. Remember that._

I sighed as those thoughts invaded my own. _Sirchade, can't you at least warn me before you invade my mind?_

_So is that to say that your mind is off limits when I have important news to share?_

I glanced over at Ryuji and Kamiki still bickering and realized that this might actually be a nice change of pace. _Fine, what is it?_

_Be prepared. IT is coming._

Huh? Before I had time to ask what that meant, the lights went out and the room grew dark. Panicked voices shouted out and a lot of heavy sounds echoed across the room. Before I did another thing, I placed the Bariyon on my lap down on the ground.

"Is this a blackout?" Kamiki asked as she looked around.

"No, I can see lights outside the window," Shima said pointing them out.

"So this is only happening in our building?" I asked with my eyebrows raised.

Shima came to a decision. "I'm going outside."

"Shima, be careful, okay?" Neko asked him.

"Hey, these things give me a thrill." He made his way to the door and opened it a crack. "Like a real life Test of Courage…" He took a look and closed the door.

"Am I seeing things? It's either that or we have a pr…" That's as far as he got before an arm smashed through the window and tried to rip Shima's head off. I cried out, jumped up and pulled him back to our side as the others watched the demon from the other night step over the threshold and into the room.

Crap.

Neko scrambled to his feet in fright. "I thought there was a demon-warding charm in effect?"

At that point, the right head began to swell and from it an explosion of nasty smelling liquid was blasted all over us. Well almost all of us. When the liquid came my way, it hit an invisible barrier and I remembered that I still was carrying my pendant that protected me from demonic aura and stopped the advances of anything demonic in origin.

So I was safe. Everyone else? Not so much.

The other side of the ghoul's head was like a flower. You know, if flowers were bloodthirsty ghouls who hungered for human flesh but I digress. It slowly made its advance and I realized we were backed into a corner. Literally and figuratively.

"Nee, can you bring out some Una-una?"

I knew it was Shiemi talking but I had no time to ask her what she was trying to do when tree roots sprouted from her palms, creating a wide berth between us and the ghoul. The wall of tree roots expanded, leaving no room for the ghoul to slither through. It was quick thinking on Shiemi's part.

"You saved us, Shiemi." Rin walked up to our organic barrier. "Thanks to you…" He froze and looked through the barrier. I made my way to him and looked as well. What I saw was horrifying. The ghoul was splitting up. One side had fallen to the ground while the other had remained impaled. The freed side of the ghoul regenerated his limbs and began attacking our barrier.

"Damn! For supposedly being dead, you're pretty lively!" Rin said.

"Ghouls are way more active at night…" Ryuji said.

"And with no light source of any kind, we have nothing to weaken it." I finished.

"Cough! Cough!" I looked to see Shiemi drop to the floor in a dizzied rush.

"Shiemi? What's wrong?"

"I'm feeling… dizzy." Her eyes were glassy. What was the matter?

Then, all of a sudden, everyone, save for Rin and I, began to cough.

Ryuji pulled at his collar. "Wh-What's going on? I'm burning up all of a sudden."

"What's the matter with you guys?" Rin asked.

"It's because we got sprayed with that ghoul's bodily fluids," Kamiki said once she received a chance to breathe. Doesn't it bother you two at all?"

I didn't feel like this was a time to bring up my pendant. But it did strike a question. If the pendant was what protected me, what was it that protected Rin?

"Once Shiemi loses all strength, this barricade will vanish." Ryuji said. "And if that happens, It's all over."

"Damnit, Yukio, where the hell are you?" Rin messaged his brother one more time before deeming it useless. "All right then…"

Rin made his way to the barrier. I grabbed his arm. "What are you doing?"

Rin turned back with a reassuring smile on his face. "I'm going to head outside and draw that thing away from here. If I can get it to follow me, you guys find a way to escape."

Ryuji shut down the idea. "Huh? Are you crazy? You're going to get yourself killed. I mean, Arianne, back me up!"

Unfortunately, for him, I was already having an important conversation in the confines of my head.

_He's going to go off on his own whether we try and stop him or not. So I would feel better if you stayed by his side and watched over him for me, Sirchade._

_With all due respect, it's not a good idea. I'm basically leaving you defenseless_.

_With all due respect, I'm not asking your opinion._ I took a deep breath and continued. _I'm ordering you to watch Rin from afar and only come to his aid if he has real need of it. Also, report everything you see back to me so I can make sure of his safety._

There was a tense silence. Finally: _As you wish, Arianne._ His voice left my mind and I was once again back in the conversation only to realize that the room had grown quiet. Too quiet.

"I don't believe that guy…" Ryuji snarled.

"Let's just get out of here." Shima said. He turned to Shiemi. "No need for the barricade any…"

"Hold on," Ryuji and I said in unison. He looked questioningly at me and I nodded. Whatever he had just heard, I had heard it also. We weren't yet done.

"Grooowwwllll!" The left side of the demon… They had already split apart from the beginning. Everything that Rin did was for naught. They tricked us.

As soon as it was able, the left side began to work at the roots just as its other side had done.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing." Ryuji said, giving it a lot of thought. "I'm going to take it out with a recital!"

We all turned to him in surprise. "Are you insane?" I asked, "Do you even know where that thing's Fatal Verse is?"

Ryuji looked me in the eye. "No, I don't, but for ghoul-type demons, they're mainly in the Gospel of John. I've already got it all memorized, so if I start reciting now, I should hit it at some point."

"All of it?" Shima was starting to doubt the plan. "But, there's more than twenty chapters!"

"Actually, there are 21." Neko said. He paused for a moment. "It's not much but I've got chapters 1 through 10 memorized. Let me help."

"Great. I'm counting on you, Konekomaru!"

"Just hold on a second!" Kamiki exclaimed. "If you start reciting, it'll focus its attack on you."

"Even still, Ryuji's right," I said, pushing my way into the conversation. "My best friend is busting her butt trying to save us. We don't stand a chance divided. We need to work together." Turning to Ryuji, I gave him my word. "I'm going to protect you."

He nodded and I returned the favor. We were at an agreement.

Shima smiled. He pulled out a K'rik, which was a staff with rings wrapped around the headpiece. "Now, I don't have a single verse memorized, but…"

"Great, you snuck that thing in." Ryuji said.

Shima got into a ready stance. "If push comes to shove, I'll back you up."

"That's reckless!"

Ryuji, Shima, and I stared at Kamiki, who, if I didn't know any better seemed a little scared.

Ryuji snorted. "What's this? You were fired up a moment ago but you're backing down now when it counts? If you're not going to fight, get back!"

"Konekomaru, you start with Chapter 1. I'll start with Chapter 11. Don't get dragged into my part!" Ryuji took his seat on the ground and Neko quickly followed. "Let's go!"

They both started their respective parts and while they recited the book of John, I turned my attention to Sirchade and Rin.

* * *

**Sirchade**

That insolent half-demon. To get himself into a situation like this. Though it was true that it wouldn't be a wise decision to unleash his blue flames around the others, due to his arrogant nature, Arianne has sent me after him. And if he ever needs my help, I'm obligated to aid him. I have no free will in the matter.

"The power grid…" The boy's voice was nearby. Slinking around the corner, I noticed him at a panel, trying to work at the controls.

Out of nowhere, a slimy rope wrapped around the boy and threw him into the railing. My claws tensed. Was it now? Should I reveal myself now? No, not just yet.

_Sirchade!_

"Arianne!" I gasped in shock. Not now! Of all the times, it had to be now?

I could feel her spiritual energy building as she opened my mind and looked within. She was me now, looking out my eyes, watching the whole scene in front of us. _Sirchade, save him!_

_Arianne, go back to your own battle. You must not see what happens here. It's for your own good._

_No! I refuse! Sirchade, I… Oh my god…_ I turned back to the scene just in time to witness the ghoul tossing the boy over the railing. The ghoul jumped and descended upon his kneeling form.

_Sirchade!_

"Don't mess with me, damnit!"

Blue flames rose up, effectively cutting off the rest of Arianne's cries. I could already picture her sitting in shock as she looked on at this scene. _Rin… but… how? _For the first time in a while, Arianne was at a loss for words.

"That's right, I just wanted to see those flames. Those blue flames..."

Arianne's breathing hitched when she recognized the voice that just spoke.

Rin was shocked. "So you're the one who…?"

Igor Neuhaus nodded. "Since you're unwilling to use your 'power' in front of others, I took this chance to lure you away. Rin Okumura… Son of Satan!"

I felt Arianne's heart stop if only for a beat. Then, as quickly as they came, her thoughts disappeared from my head. She cut the connection and was keeping me from delving back into her mind.

_This is the reason you didn't need to know, Arianne. You wouldn't be able to deal with a secret of this magnitude._ But of course she was no longer listening.

* * *

**Arianne**

Rin Okumura… Son of Satan? That can't be right. Sure, we may not have known each other forever. But… the son of Satan? But now that I thought about it, it explained his different appearance. When we met, his ears hadn't been pointed and his canines hadn't been as sharp. It explained how he was able to get that Leaper to back off before it swallowed us whole. And it explained why he hadn't been affected by the ghoul's bodily fluids. It was because my first best friend was the son of my family's greastest enemy.

"It's no good. It won't be long before the barricade is broken." Shima's voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I lifted my eyes to see Shima on his feet, defending against the ghoul. Konekomaru had finished with the first ten chapters and now were eagerly awaiting Ryuji's finish.

"Bon's reciting the last chapter now…" Neko said worriedly.

THUMP! Shiemi hit the floor and at once the barrier disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Shiemi!" I cried out but to no avail. The beast was free and its eyes were on no one but Ryuji.

"Hey, you!" Kamiki had started to shake Shiemi's tired form, which at any other point in time; I would have slapped for rough-housing my friend. Unfortunately, I was still dealing with revelations of sorts.

"I-Izumo… Arianne…" Shiemi whispered our names. I whipped my head towards her and rushed to her side.

"Shiemi, just hang on. We'll fix this somehow…" I trailed off.

"You two are acting strange… is everything alright?"

Both Kamiki and I freeze and chance a glance at one another. The look in her eyes was the same as mine: fear. Maybe it was for a different reason but somehow, they made it even more important to remember that look in her eyes. I needed to realize that I wasn't the only one suffering from fear or… knowledge.

_Snap out of it, Arianne._ I scolded myself. _Deal with that when you have the time. You gave your word that you would protect Ryuji. Don't bail on him now. _

Those last few words had the desired effect. My face set in a grim, determined look, I found the sharpest thing close by – a splintered piece of wood – and began to write on the palm of my hand, not even caring how much blood I was drawing. Once the summoning circle had been completed, I wasted no time in calling _him_ forth. "Ancient demon of the lava pits, come to me in my time of need and lend me your power. Show yourself, Haristum!"

Just as all the other times, the flame vortex erupted within the room but because I had written the circle on my flesh, I had appeared within the fire storm. And even as I burned, I refused to yield. "Haristum, come forth!"

The flames swelled, changing form until a large figure was standing behind her. The figure was humanoid, its skin red like flames with muscles like steel and leathery bat wings. With eyes as white as sunlight, I marveled at the sight of my second familiar, Haristum.

Off to the side, Kamiki had summoned and regained control of her familiars and was chanting. Combine our efforts, I had said earlier. Looks like it was now or never. Thinking on the words of Haristum's sacred spell, I cried out, "Light the flame within mind and soul and gift us with unyielding flame. Dwell inside your enemy to keep us safe! Strife Fire!"

In a reversed method, Haristum remolded itself into flames and wrapped itself around the ghoul. Kamiki's fox spirits also attacked and when our two attacks combined, Haristum's flames grew white-hot and stopped the ghoul in its tracks as it struggled against its restraints.

I smiled at Kamiki, who smiled in return. We had imprisoned him.

"GROWL!" I turned when the ghoul had escaped from the flame vortex as if it had been nothing. Haristum faded into flames and then again into smoke that disappeared in a moment's notice. We had failed.

The ghoul grabbed Ryuji by the head and I cried out in despair. "NO!"

Flash! The lights shone bright, catching the ghoul's attention and slowly draining him of strength. Ryuji was still struggling through the last words of the verse. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Shima's K'rik near my feet and immediately picked it up and attacked the ghoul's back. I could hear Ryuji finishing.

"I suppose that even… the world itself… could not contain… the books that… SHOULD BE WRITTEN!" He shouted.

The ghoul let out a ghastly wail as its skin was ripped away. A wind ripped it to shreds and as it disappeared, Ryuji was dropped to the floor. I breathed heavily as I dropped down in front of Ryuji. "Ryuji?"

"I-I-I… I'm dead… I'm dead, I'm dead" Ryuji repeated like a mantra. I cried tears of joy that he was alright and without stopping to consider it, I grabbed him and pulled him into an embrace. "You're safe now, Ryuji. You're safe." My soothing voice managed to calm him and he relaxed in my arms.

Kamiki was helping Shiemi up. Some words were exchanged but I don't think that Kamiki was being an ass so I let it go.

Shima, despite rubbing his back, was otherwise unharmed. "Thank goodness! I really thought…" He stopped short when we heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Hey!" Rin said as he skidded into the room, "Was there another ghoul that stayed behind here?"

He was met with four astonished looks and my slightly frightened expression. I probably should have done something to hide my expression but how would I ever be able to look at the guy the same way again?

Ryuji got up from his position and rammed into Rin like a bull, knocking him to the ground. "What's wrong with you? Do you want to get killed?"

"Hold on! You're the only one trying to kill me!" Rin rolled out of the way of Ryuji's next attack. Under normal circumstances, I would have found this funny. But nothing was funny about this. The Son of Satan was none other than Rin Okumura. How was I supposed to laugh ever again in my life? A purring caught my ear and seemed to be coming from under one of the desks.

Kneeling down, I could make out Sirchade's form. I kept my mouth shut and thought hard at him. _You knew, didn't you? You knew exactly what Rin was and never told me._

For once, Sirchade didn't look high and mighty. His tail drooped and his eyes would not meet my own. _Arianne, you know full well why I did not. It was the same reason you have not told your friends your secret. You didn't want to involve them in something that wasn't their fault. The same concept goes for Rin. He didn't ask to be the Son of Satan. But, now that he is aware of the fact, he must do all he can to protect his friends, even if it means lying to them. I'm sure you understand._

I really wanted to rant and complain about how unfair he was being. But, then I would be insinuating that he was right and though I knew he was, I'd rather not say it or think it aloud.

I sighed. _Fine, but we are going to have a talk later, buddy._

I tuned back into the scene to see a welcome sight. "What's this?" Mr. Okumura asked the second he walked back into the room.

Rin growled. "Yukio! Where have you been?"

Another Exorcist walked into the room. The fact that it was someone I really wanted to maim made this scene all the more worse. Both Rin and I stiffened considerably.

Rin pointed at Mr. Neuhaus. "You!" we said in unison.

Then, Rin glanced at me and me at him. I tried to look confused but even then, I didn't know if I convinced him. All I did know was that _this_ was going to be hard to explain.

* * *

**A/N: The Boot Camp arc is almost over and soon not only will Arianne have to keep her secret safe from the others but also Rin's. Sirchade knew of Rin's secret and refused to tell her. Makes you wonder what other secrets he's keeping. Haristum has made his first appearance and is helping to pave the way for the third demon. And the mysterious Talis made an appearance last chapter. What is his game plan? Will we ever figure him out? Not likely. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had a blast writing it for you. Please review, follow, or favorite if you liked this one. Hope you enjoyed the Double Feature and I will update soon.  
**

**ArthurDragonpen, signing off!**


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